Writing 6

Instructor: Tom Riedmiller
Office: Baker 73
Phone: 273-6876
E-mail: riedmiller@uni.edu

Required Texts: Introduction to Academic Writing 2ed. Oshima, A. & Hogue, A. (1997) White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley-Longman. ISBN: 0-201-69509-x.

Understanding and Using English Grammar 3ed. Azar, B. S. (1999). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents. ISBN 0-13-958661-x.

Try to find these textbooks from former CIEP students

Office Hours: by appointment (talk to me about scheduling time when you want to meet and talk to me)

Course Goals:

	To write clear, well organized expository compositions based on personal knowledge and experience.
	To recognize and produce a clear thesis statement, topic sentence and supporting sentences.
	To increase the student's fluency in writing.
	To write a variety of complex sentences incorporating devices such as clauses using coordination and subordination.
	To understand that writing is a process which has various stages.
	Write a 300- to 400-word composition that has been organized, revised, and edited in about two hours.

Course Overview:

The best way to develop and improve writing skills is to write. This class will allow you the opportunity to do just that. During the eight weeks, you will work on journal writing to help develop fluency and write essays in which you will work on the organization, composition, and mechanics of writing. We will write three compositions requiring at least two drafts. The kinds of compositions that we will give most attention to--classification, comparison and contrast, and persuasion--are discussed in Intro to Academic Writing, chapters 6-9 In addition, we will work on several other exercises that will hopefully be both fun and beneficial.

Journals:

The purpose of keeping a journal, as mentioned above, is to improve writing fluency. To that end, you will be expected to write three entries a week, due each Friday. You may submit them by E-mail. Each entry should require ten to fifteen minutes and be 150 to 200 words in length. That is 450 to 600 words total. See the handout on possible journal topics. Occasionally, you will be asked to complete part or all of your journal entry in class as part of a free writing exercise.

Evaluation*:

	-Compositions: (10% each) 30%
	-Journal entries: 10%
	-Participation: 10%

	-Midterm: 20%
	-Grammar Quizzes and Tests: 15%
	-Final Exam: 15%

*(Percentages are subject to change without notice.)