Society expects college graduates to be able to think critically, solve complex problems, act in a principled manner, be dependable, read, write, and speak effectively, have respect for others, be able to adapt to change, and engage in life-long learning.

--Lion F. Gardiner

This course will focus on writing as a way of discovering, organizing, and communicating our thoughts to others, and on literature as a way of thinking about important issues. To write well we must develop what Donald Murray calls "the writer's eye," which paradoxically is the ability to see our own writing as our readers will see it. To help develop the writer's eye, the course will provide opportunities to coach each other and to evaluate each other's writing. When we learn how to improve on the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses of others' writing, we learn how to improve on the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses of our own writing. Our goal is to be able to write not just correctly but also effectively, so that we are saying something worth saying and our readers "get the point" in the way we want them to.

Ann Charters (ed.), The Story and its Writer (5^th ed.)

Diana Hacker, The Bedford Handbook (5^th ed.) This book is available for purchase at $5.00.

George Orwell, 1984. Signet Classic. 1990.

PAPERS
There will be six papers assigned during the semester, as well as a final essay exam. Papers are due at the beginning of class on the day indicated in the calendar. A late paper will lose ten points for each class day it is late. For example, a paper that earns a grade of 85 but is two class periods late will receive a final grade of 65.
Grading: The papers will be given a numerical grade, which can be translated into a letter grade according to the following scale:

HANDBOOK WORK ON GRAMMAR, SPELLING, AND PUNCTUATION
We will not spend much class time on grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation (the "fundamentals" or basic building blocks of writing). Time permitting, I will add reviews of the fundamentals to the Blackboard site for this course.
If you show a specific weakness in a particular area of the fundamentals, I may prescribe work in the Handbook--exercises, memorizing grammar rules, etc.--that will strengthen your skills in that area. Handbook work will be graded, and these grades will be averaged along with the paper grades. Weak paper grades can be partly offset by good grades in the handbook work. If you don't need to work on the writing fundamentals, you won't get any handbook work in these areas.

QUIZZES and SHORT ASSIGNMENTS
There will be frequent short quizzes on the readings. Questions will be fill-in-the-blank, true-false, or short-essay questions.
There will also be in-class work and short assignments. There will be no makeups for quizzes and daily work. However, the lowest quiz grade will be omitted from the quiz average.

ATTENDANCE
I expect regular attendance. If you have to miss class, please let me know in advance, if possible. After three unexcused absences, you will lose two percentage points from your semester grade for each absence, including the three already recorded. For the university policy on excused absences, see the "Special Notice" below.

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING
In this course you are expected to perform to the best of your ability, and in an honest and sincere manner. Any student caught plagiarizing (see "Course Guidelines") or cheating will receive a zero (the lowest possible F grade) for that part of the course (papers, quizzes, etc.). A student caught plagiarizing or cheating a second time will receive an F for the course.

GRADING The grading for the course will be divided up in roughly the following way:

60% - the six papers
15% - quizzes
15% - participation
10% - final exam
Attendance: see above.

SPECIAL NOTICE
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive and non-discriminatory learning environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and graduate students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding Special Accommodations, Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation, Discrimination and Absence for University Sponsored Events. (For details please refer to the Undergraduate and Graduate Timetables; the "Rights and Responsibilities" section of the Undergraduate Bulletin; the Academic Requirements and Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Bulletin; and the "Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures" [UWS Chapter 14]; and the "Students Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures" [UWS Chapter 17]).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

---Readings are to be read before class begins on the day listed. Before or after you read an assigned story, also read the biographical introduction about the story's author.
---Handbook readings are from The Bedford Handbook. Handbook Chapters are to be read carefully, studied, and reviewed as necessary.
---Regarding the chapters on grammar and punctuation, I assume that you already know most of what the Handbook has to say about the conventions of writing. If you are not sure you are in control of a particular area (for example: comma splices, or agreement of pronouns and antecedents), then review carefully that specific area of the handbook.
---As you write the assigned papers, be sure to consult the Handbook, as needed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Final Exam :

Section 5 Section 22

Monday Dec. 16 Monday Dec. 16

7:45-9:45 am 10:00 am-12 noon