SYLLABUS FOR E301 ADVANCED COLLEGE WRITING
CSU FULLERTON, SPRING 2013

EMAIL | SYLLABUS | POLICIES | JOURNALS | PAPERS | EXAM

COURSE INFORMATION. English 301, Course Code 20815, Section 28. Tu/Th 1:00 – 2:15 p.m., McCarthy Hall (MH) 552. Office hours Tu/Th 12:00 – 12:55 p.m. in University Hall (UH) 329. Instructor: Alfred J. Drake, Ph.D. Email: e301_at_ajdrake.com. English Dept. Description: “For students who have already taken English 101: Beginning College Writing or the equivalent.… English 301 provides you the opportunity to focus on further refining your skills as college writers and your knowledge of academic and professional writing conventions. The course centers on reading and writing strategies for accommodating the needs of both diverse, general audiences and specialized audiences within your major discipline. Units: (3).” I will use +/- grading. The English Dept. may be reached at (657) 278-3163. Students who need special accommodations at the main campus should contact the Disabled Student Services Office in UH 101 or call (657) 278-3117.

REQUIRED TEXTS AT TITAN BOOKSTORE

Ariely, Dan and Tim Folger, eds. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2012. Mariner Books, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0547799537.

Gallagher, Matt et al. Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War. Da Capo Press, Feb. 2013. ISBN-13: 978-0306821769.

Gawande, Atul. Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance. Picador, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0312427658.

Kane, Thomas S. The New Oxford Guide to Writing. Oxford University Press, USA: Reprint edition, 1994. ISBN-13: 978-0195090598.

Khadra, Yasmina (Mohammed Moulessehoul). The Swallows of Kabul. Anchor, 2005. ISBN-13: 978-1400033768.

COURSE RATIONALE AND ACTIVITIES

FOCUS AND OBJECTIVES. This course will cover a small number of literary and non-fiction texts, but our main purpose is to consider writing as a craft: how best to develop a thought-provoking and convincing argument; how to set it forth on the page so that it unfolds logically and doesn’t put unnecessary stylistic or other obstacles in a reader’s way; how to give credit to sources when and where credit is due, etc. Good writing is of course somewhat more formal than everyday conversation with its “likes” and “you knows,” but there’s no reason why it has to be stuffy or pompous, either—good writers and critics aim to be understood more than to dazzle us with erudition or befuddle us with “jargon for jargon’s sake” from their discipline.

ACTIVITIES. In class, there will be a mix of lectures, whole-class and smaller-group discussion, occasional quizzes, an essay, and a final exam. I encourage questions and comments—class sessions improve when students take an active part. Outside class, do the assigned readings before the relevant discussion dates, complete your journal sets as outlined below, and start planning and drafting your essays early. In literary studies, the aim is to read and discuss actively and thereby to develop your own voice in response to the texts you read. Insightful interpretation and the ability to make compelling connections are central goals. The essay, discussions, and journal-keeping should combine to help you work towards these goals.

HOW YOUR PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED

COURSE POLICIES. Please review the course policies page early in the semester. Key points easily stated here: missing more than 20% of sessions may affect course grade; academic dishonesty on any assignment (journals, presentation, papers, exam) may result in course failure. The four evaluative requirements outlined below must be substantially completed to pass the course. Since most assignments will be due by email, it is students’ responsibility to contact me promptly if they do not get an email verifying receipt.

JOURNALS REQUIREMENT. Two separate journal sets due by email as specified below in the session schedule. Electronic format required. The procedure is simple: just write down your thoughts about material you are currently reading for this or other classes, or on your own beyond class, with regard both to its style and content. The length of the journal should be as follows: an average of about one single-spaced page per week bundled together in each of the two sets. I will not mark journal sets down unless they are late (maximum grade = B), incomplete, or so brief and derivative as to suggest evasion of intellectual labor: they should consist of honest responses to the assigned readings or to material you are currently reading, not quotation of texts without further comment, and not pasted secondary material from Internet sources. How to do well on this assignment: read instructions; complete entries as you go through the course, not at the last minute; send sets on time, making sure I verify receipt; respond thoughtfully. Use your own words and refer to your texts’ specific language. (25% of course grade.)

ESSAYS REQUIREMENT. Please read the instructions for the essays carefully since they contain the general prompt and advance draft comments. I reserve the right to require proof of the final paper’s authenticity, such as notes or an early draft. There will be three papers due by email on the dates specified in the schedule below. For the second and third papers, a reasonably developed rough draft will be due on the dates specified below. Since students in this class come from various disciplines, it will be your task to come up with a topic you find worthwhile. The first will be a three-page paper, and the second and third will be five-page papers. There is no need to consider these papers to be full research essays, although for the second and third papers, I require that you incorporate at least two sources and document them properly. CSUF academic integrity policies apply (see Catalog, UPS 301.021). See CSUF Library. How to do well on this assignment: send required rough draft on time and incorporate advice I send; allow time for revision; proofread and follow MLA or similar formatting and style guidelines; avoid exhaustive coverage and stale generalities: instead, develop a specific, arguable set of claims, demonstrating their strength by showing how they enhance our understanding of specific language, structures, ideas or themes in the material you’re covering; document your online/print sources properly; read instructions and take advantage of writing guides available on this site.

FINAL EXAM REQUIREMENT. The exam will consist of materials that will test what you have learned about grammar, style, quotation-handling, and argumentation strategies. Books and notes allowed for all sections. Books and notes allowed for all sections, but no laptops. Students may not share books or notes during the exam. Exam date: see below. How to do well on this assignment: read the online prep. sheet; take good notes and ask questions/make comments. (15% of course grade.)

POSSIBLE IN-CLASS QUIZZES OR WRITING TASKS. No need for further instructions here: we may have a number of brief in-class quizzes or short writing assignments (usually 5-10 minutes) that will explore your understanding and achievement as a writer. One option might be that students can develop a brief presentation on a short passage they especially like or dislike mainly in terms of its style rather than its content. (5% of course grade max.)

EMAILING JOURNALS AND ESSAYS TO E301_AT_AJDRAKE.COM]. Email journals and the term paper as attachments. Don’t send more than one document in the same email. Label subject lines appropriately: “E301 Journal 1, Jane Rodriguez” etc. You can paste journal sets into a regular email or send them as an attachment. Don’t send several files: each journal “set” should consist of all your combined entries for the specified period. Contact me if you don’t receive an email confirmation within two days.

SCHEDULE: WORKS DISCUSSED ON DATES INDICATED

WEEK 1

Tu. 01/29. Course Introduction.

Th. 01/31. Writing Sample – an in-class writing task on a topic I’ll have announced in class previously.

WEEK 2

Tu. 02/05. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Introduction and Part I: The Writing Process, Chs. 1-7 (3-33).

Th. 02/07. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part II: The Essay, Ch. 8 “Beginning” (37-46).

WEEK 3

Tu. 02/12. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part II: The Writing Process, Ch. 9 “Closing” (46-51), Ch. 10 “Organizing the Middle” (52-56), Ch. 11 “Point of View, Persona, and Tone” (57-64).

Th. 02/14. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 12 “Basic Structure” (67-70). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part I: Diligence. “On Washing Hands” (13-28).

WEEK 4

Tu. 02/19. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 13 “Paragraph Unity” (71-78). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part I: Diligence. “The Mop-Up” (29-50).

Th. 02/21. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 14 “Paragraph Development: (1) Illustration and Restatement” (79-84). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part I: Diligence. “Casualties of War” (51-69).

THREE-PAGE ESSAY 1 DUE BY EMAIL TUESDAY 02/26; SEE INSTRUCTIONS.

WEEK 5

Tu. 02/26. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 15 “Paragraph Development: (2) Comparison, Contrast, and Analogy” (85-92). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Carl Zimmer’s “The Long, Curious, Extravagant Evolution of Feathers” (29-34).

Th. 02/28. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 16 “Paragraph Development: (3) Cause and Effect” (93-97). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Thomas Hayden’s “How to Hatch a Dinosaur” (35-43).

WEEK 6

Tu. 03/05. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part III: The Expository Paragraph, Ch. 17 “Paragraph Development: “Paragraph Development: (4) “Definition, Analysis, and Qualification” (98-108). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Sy Montgomery’s “Deep Intellect” (65-77).

Th. 03/07. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 18 “A Definition” (109-18). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Elizabeth Kolbert’s “Sleeping with the Enemy” (97-118).

WEEK 7

Tu. 03/12. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 19 “Sentence Styles” (119-39). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part II: Doing Right. “Piecework” (112-29).

Th. 03/14. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 19 “Sentence Styles,” continued (119-39). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part II: Doing Right. “The Doctors of the Death Chamber” (130-53).

JOURNAL SET 1 DUE BY EMAIL SUNDAY 03/17. (I will verify receipt by email within a few days.)

WEEK 8

Tu. 03/19. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 20 “The Well-Written Sentence: (1) Concision” (140-46). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part III: Ingenuity. “The Score” (169-200).

Th. 03/21. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 21 “The Well-Written Sentence: (2) Emphasis” (147-62). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part III: Ingenuity. “The Score,” continued (169-200).

WEEK 9

Tu. 03/26. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 22 “The Well-Written Sentence: (3) Rhythm” (163-70). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Thomas Goetz’s “The Feedback Loop” (121-34).

Th. 03/28. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part IV: The Sentence, Ch. 23 “The Well-Written Sentence: (4) Variety” (171-74). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: Jason Daley’s “What You Don’t Know Can Kill You” (145-55).

ESSAY 2 ROUGH DRAFT DUE BY EMAIL SUNDAY 03/31.

WEEK 10

Tu. 04/02. Spring Recess, No Classes.

Th. 04/04. Spring Recess, No Classes.

WEEK 11

Tu. 04/09. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 24 “Meaning” (177-89). Atul Gawande’s Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, Part III: Ingenuity. “The Bell Curve,” continued (201-230).

Th. 04/11. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 25 “Clarity and Simplicity” (190-202). Dan Ariely’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing: John Seabrook’s “Crush Point” (189-205).

ESSAY 2 FINAL DRAFT DUE BY EMAIL FRIDAY 0/12.

WEEK 12

Tu. 04/16. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 26 “Concision” (203-12). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 1-3 (1-38).

Th. 04/18. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 27 “Figurative Language” (213-33). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 4-5 (39-70).

WEEK 13

Tu. 04/23. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 27 “Figurative Language,” continued (213-33). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 6-8 (71-102).

Th. 04/25. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part V: Diction, Ch. 28 “Unusual Words and Collocations” (234-41); Chapter 29. “Dictionaries” (242-49). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 9-10 (103-34).

WEEK 14

Tu. 04/30. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VI: Description and Narration, Ch. 30 “Description” (253-63). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 11-13 (135-64).

Th. 05/02. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VI: Description and Narration, Ch. 31 “Narration” (264-71). Yasmina Khadra’s The Swallows of Kabul, Chs. 14-15 (165-95).

WEEK 15

Tu. 05/07. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VII: Punctuation, “Introduction” (275-77); Ch. 32 “Stops” (278-301). Gallagher, Matt et al. Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War, Jacob Siegel’s “Smile, There Are IEDs Everywhere” (1-20).

Th. 05/09. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VII: Punctuation, “Introduction” (275-77); Ch. 32 “Stops,” continued (278-301). Gallagher, Matt et al. Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War, Phil Klay’s “Redeployment” (39-52).

ESSAY 3 ROUGH DRAFT DUE BY EMAIL SUNDAY 05/12; SEE INSTRUCTIONS.

WEEK 16

Tu. 05/14. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VII: Punctuation, Ch. 33 “The Other Marks” (302-17). Gallagher, Matt et al. Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War, “The Wave That Takes Them Under” (53-58) and Ted Janis’s “The Raid” (79-86).

Th. 05/16. Kane’s New Oxford Guide to Writing, Part VII: Punctuation, Ch. 33 “The Other Marks,” continued (302-17). Gallagher, Matt et al. Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War, Colby Buzzell’s “Play the Game” (87-104).

JOURNAL SET 2 DUE BY EMAIL EXAM DAY. (I will verify receipt by email within two days.)

FINALS WEEK

Final Exam Date: Tuesday, May 21 at 12:00 – 1:50 p.m. You don’t need to bring a bluebook; the exam is open-book and open-note, but no laptops and no sharing books or notes. Due by email by Friday, May 24, 2012: Essay 3. (I must turn in grades by Friday May 31, 2013.) For your other courses, check CSUF’s Final Exam Schedule.