FRESHMAN COMPOSITION, RHETORIC, GRAMMAR II

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INTRO. TO LITERARY RESEARCH & WRITING

INSTRUCTOR: James Maxfield

Students should check the class home page at least weekly!

8/29: Welcome to all of my 1010 students.  We have a large and dynamic class, and I am anticipating an exciting Saturday morning with you each week.  The revised tentative schedule of readings and assignments is posted under a link on the syllabus page.  You should print it out.  All or most of the reading assignments and exercises will be completed during the first 12 or 13 weeks of this course.  I intentionally front load the work in this course so you will not be rushed at the end to write a good paper.  Students who keep on schedule and do not fall behind can coast the last few weeks.  This is also the time when other classes (if you are taking other classes) will start to get busy.  So work hard now, and it will be easier towards the end of the term.

Also see the handout that is linked under lecture notes regarding essay #1 and Narrative writing.

Notes for Sept. 11 Class: 

Agenda for Sept. 18 class:

If you are falling behind, try to catch up during the next week or two.  There simply is no time in this course to catch up beyond that point.  The pace is rather fast, and there is no lull until about week 13.  And the essays and exercises will be getting a little more difficult as we move along the process of trying to make you proficient writers.

General Note:  I think everyone did reasonably well working in the library.  If you need any further help, just ask one of the library staff on the 4th floor.  They will assist you with any research or computer problem you have.  Also, please remember that the FREE English tutorial center is also located in the NE corner of the library 4th floor.  Make an appointment with a tutor to assist with your essay revisions or problems with one of the exercises.  They also have Saturday hours; but check their scheduled hours.  They work by appointment only.  If your first final draft of any essay is less than a C, you must meet with a tutor to help you with your revisions before you can turn in a revision.  (More on this later.) 

For Saturday (Week 4):

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Notes and Agenda for Sept. 25 Class:

1. Turn in Essay #2 (Descriptive)
2. Turn in Revision of Essay #1 if desired
3. Turn in Corrected Ex. #7
4. Read Ch. 8 in Strategy pp. 163-200.  Complete Ex. #9: Write a 1-page set of procedures, instructions, or directions for something.
5. Ex. 8.  Write a 1-pg. review of a film, a performance, or an art exhibition.  Look for samples and procedures on the internet, e.g. Search: "How to write a film review")--Due in 2 weeks.
6. Turn in Ex. #10--discussion questions on the first 4 assigned stories
7. Complete a short fiction note taking worksheet for the first 4 stories
8. Read Ch. 7 and 12 in Strategy book to prepare for Essay #3
9. Read pp. 142-146 in Handbook on Logical Fallacies
10. Read pp. 364-5 i Handbook on Figurative Language
11. Look on the Internet for sites that list examples of rhetorical figures, make a record of the site addresses (print their home page), and make a list of any 10 rhetorical figures with their definitions and an example of each figure--due in 2 weeks.  This is in preparation for Ex. 13, which will use essays in Strategy on pp. 108-110 and 113-117.  Further instructions are on the Ex. 13 page from the Class Home Page.

Hang in There!!!

There were no notes posted for class on Oct. 2

Summary of Oct. 2 class:

Notes and Agenda for Oct. 9 Class

If you are still behind, I can give you a little more time on Ex. #8 & #9.  But you need to get caught up on everything else this week.  Keep chugging! 

Class Notes for Saturday 10/16

The following have been carried over from last week:

Notes for Class on 10/23

Bring your Portfolios to class so I can take a quick look at them.  I want to see if you are organized.

Contact me by email if you have any questions about any of the songs we discussed or didn't discuss for Essay #4.  Be sure to follow the essay model for using Comparison and Contrast!  You can also ask me about Essay #5 topics . . . after you have read all of the material posted and in the books.

Turn in Essay #4, Ex. 11, Ex. 16, & Ex. 17; read Ch. in Strategy on Cause and Effect.  Read any related sections on Argument, Cause and Effect, or Logic in your handbook.

Read material and handout for Ex. 12 before class.

Look at Home Page:  Find new Sample listed under Ex. 18.  See also lecture notes and Sample essay shown under Supplemental Handouts for Essay #5.  Try to pick a topic for Essay #5 before class on Saturday.  Be prepared to briefly discuss your topic in class, the question you want to answer, how you will use Cause and Effect in your writing, and a working Thesis and Title for your Essay.

The sample for Essay #5 will also help you with Ex. 19, 20, and 21, all of which pertain to Essay #5.  If you are smart, you will use a suitable Cause and Effect essay topic (see suggestions in book or on the Ex. 19 instructions handout) for Ex. 18, 19, 20, 21, and essay #5.  This is permissible and advisable.

See also handout listed under Lecture Notes as Basic Argument Structure.

Note for Class on 10/30

Workshops:  Last week after class we ended up having a nice workshop on Essay #4 for 3 students who stayed after class.  I can do a 20 to 40 minute workshop after each class for those who want to stay.  We will focus on Essay #5 during and after class today.

Turn in Revisions of Essay 3 or 4.  Don't bother revising Essay #1 or #2 at this point.  Focus on the last 2 essays.  Reminder: Essays 5 and 6 are worth 8% each of your grade.  (Essay 3 & 4 are 6%; essays 1 & 2 are only 4% each)

Turn in Ex. 12 & 18, 19, & 20 & 21 and any other overdue exercises or revisions.  Turn in the Extra Credit assignment on identifying metaphors, rhetorical figures, and logical or persuasive arguments structures in the handout article, Chain Letter.

Look at Ex. 23 (due next week).  You will need to read the article on one of our short stories ("Araby") or another of your choice (or a chapter from a book about one of our authors or stories).  After carefully reading the article, you will summarize the article in one paragraph and then add your personal response or comments about the article in another paragraph.  This will be used or incorporated into Essay #6.

We will review as many of the first 12 assigned short stories as we can.  See Ya!

Notes for Class on Nov. 6.

1. Review Cause & Effect; identify cause & effect in essay from Strategy book as assigned in class.

2.  Introduction to Essay #6: An evaluation of an essay,  resource article, or book chapter.  A discussion piece will be handed out for review.

3.  Collect Ex. 23.  A summary and response to your chosen article for Essay #6.  This will become part of essay 6.  Next week you will prepare an outline for Essay 6.  Since most of the class is reading the article on the story "Araby" by James Joyce, be prepared to discuss the article and the story.

4.  Read pages in Handbook (see index) relating to Evaluations, opinions, bias, evidence, and related topics.

5.  Read any pages that discuss Plagiarism from the Handbook.  We will discuss.

6. Finish reading the last 4 short stories and turn in the questions (Ex. 26) next week.

After class workshop will focus on Essay #6; and perhaps some additional work on revisions for Essay 5.

Note:  Please be on time for class.  We are in the home stretch.  So it is very important not to miss any of the final classes.  Some students have missed more than the maximum number of classes allowed.  But I haven't dropped anyone yet as long as you are working hard and trying to catch up.

Class Notes for Nov. 13.

Turn in Essay 5 (Final Draft) and Essay 6 (first Draft); Ex. 22, 23, and 26.  Also complete on your own Ex. 24--an outline for Essay #6--your evaluation of your journal article.  Turn in this week with or without Essay 6.  Print out Ex. 25 and 27.

For the 5 or 6 students who stayed after class, we had a good workshop on writing your thesis and introduction for Essays 5 & 6.  After the next two classes I will hold a workshop after class to help with revisions for Essays 5 & 6 and setting up your term paper.  A first or second draft of your term paper must be brought to class on Dec. 4 for an in-class workshop and peer review reading--bring 3 copies of your draft so you can receive comments from at least two other students.  I will be happy to review any parts of your research paper before that date.

There are only 4 more classes because there is no class on the Sat. after Thanksgiving.  So please don't miss any of the remaining classes.  If you must miss, it is up to you to find out what exercises and handouts you missed and to turn in the assignments on time.

 This class we will complete the following:

Any short stories you wish to discuss, but especially we will discuss "Araby."

Discussion of Plagiarism and Paraphrasing.

Read material in the short story book on Critical  theory pp. 878-904.  Print out Ex. #25 and write a paragraph or two about one of your favorite short stories in our book using one critical approach to analyzing fiction.  Choose a story that you will use for your research paper.  This exercise should be incorporated into your paper in some way.  In other words, you need to briefly discuss at least one critical theory approach as it relates to the stories you are using for your paper.  For example, you might want to discuss gender or feminist perspectives in Kate Chopin's stories versus Chekhov's story.

Exercise #27:  During the next two weeks you must turn in a proposal for your research paper.  Include the stories you will discuss: "Araby" (all students will write on "Araby" plus two or three others that you will select. Identify the following:

There should be a sample of Ex. 27 on this class home page; it is also similar to the sample I gave you for Ex. 18.

Class Notes for Sat.  November 20.

After last week's class, we reviewed the Essay #6 process of evaluating a resource article, and we also worked on some revisions for Essay #5 (cause and effect).

Due Today:  Revisions for Essay #5 and Final drafts of Essay #6.  Note: Some students did not understand Ex. 23, which was to be a summary and response to the article on "Araby" (or another approved article on one of our short stories), not a summary of the short story "Araby" itself.  If you did this and you complete essay #6 correctly, I will still give you credit for Ex. 23 based on your essay grade.

If you are still having trouble with essay #6, I suspect it is because you have not read and studied the assigned pages in the Handbook on evaluation and the other key words from the handout sheet.  Read all entries (see index at back of book) for each key word.

Also due today is Ex. 25, applying 3 or more critical theory approaches to the 3 stories for your research paper.  (You will be using "Araby" plus 2 others of your choice.)  Keep it short and to the point.  Remember, you must apply some aspect of critical theory to at least a portion of your paper to demonstrate your understanding of at least one critical theory approach to analyzing fiction.  Failure to due so will result in a 5 point deduction.

In today's class we will review MLA format for your paper and Works Cited page.  We will also review the handout sheet on Plagiarism.   And we will discuss how to write your brief abstract for your paper.

Research/Term Paper: Also due today is Ex. 27 and your term paper proposal, which will include your choices of stories, your topic, your question to answer, and your working thesis and working title.  Then begin Ex. 28, which we be due along with Ex. 29, 30, and your rough draft on Dec. 4.  I will try to make some time during and after class on Nov. 20 to work on these exercises. 

Essentially you need to complete your paper during the 2 weeks over Thanksgiving break because we will not have class the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  This is the only way you will have a chance to revise your paper.  Be sure to turn in all of your exercises, freewriting, and term paper planning sheets with your final paper to receive full credit for each step of the process as I indicated in last week's class.  The final paper only counts for 50% of your grade; the other steps count also for 50% as I explained per the term paper grading handout sheet.

All past due exercises and other revisions must be turned in no later than Dec. 4 to be graded and counted.  Past due work is subject to a grade penalty at my discretion.

The comprehensive proofreading and grammar review test (about 30 minutes) will be either on Dec. 4 or  Dec. 11th.  No make ups if you miss it.  It is 4% of your total grade.

We are in the home stretch; don't despair.  We will likely have a film on Dec. 11th and perhaps a short one on Dec. 4th.  And if you are planning a No-Final Exam party on the 18th, I will order another film for us to view.  Note: If you turn in your Final Paper on the 4th, you will get it back on the 11th.  I will allow you to revise it and turn it in on or before the 18th, but only if you it is first received on the 4th. 

Any approved extra credit work must be turned in on or before Dec. 11th.

Final Exam:  If you will be taking the optional take-home final exam, it will be given to you on Dec. 11th and it is due on or before 9:00 a.m. on Dec. 18th.  The final exam is worth 5% of your grade.  So only take it if will help you reach the next highest grade.  I will be able to give you your approximate current grade average on the 11th so you can decide.

See you Sat.

Class Notes for Sat. Dec. 4.

I hope you all had a nice holiday.  Last class we covered all of the instructions for the remaining exercises to complete the final paper and how to write an abstract of your paper.  We also covered MLA format rules and the handout on Plagiarism.  If you are missing any of this material, contact your class "buddy" for the missing handouts, notes, and instructions.  Also check this home page for the Class Exercises that you missed.

Term Paper Workshop in class.  Bring at least 2 extra copies of your first draft so 2 or more other students can read your paper and make suggestions, comments, and proofreading notations.  It is to your advantage and your responsibility to come prepared.  Those not prepared will lose out on valuable peer assistance.

Due this week:  All exercises 25-30 and the first complete draft of your paper.  This draft will be graded, but you can revise it based on student comments and again after my comments next week.  Final revisions must be turned in to my office at HUM 323 by 11:00 on Wednesday Dec. 15 or emailed to me.  Last call for Essay #6.  Last call for past due exercises 16-24.  (Nothing from 1-15 will be accepted.)

Next week: last call for Revisions for Essays #5 and #6.

Grammar & Proofreading Quiz will be on Dec. 4 at approx. 11:00 to the end of class.

Portfolio Grading will be done on Dec. 11 during the movie.  We will be watching The Swimmer.  If you wish to have your Portfolio graded early on Dec. 4th, I will do it after class.  It will only take a few minutes each.

Final Exam:  There will be no class on Dec. 18th unless more than half of the class wants to get together.  You must decide on the 4th.  Students who wish to take the final exam, can have it on Dec. 4th.  It will be due of Dec. 11th.

Send mail to james.maxfield@tri-c.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: 04/30/06