This year-long course trains third-year English majors to develop both practical and academic writing skills. During the first semester, the lecturer will guide students through a series of writing tasks intended to enhance their ability to summarize, paraphrase, and critique complex, argumentative texts. In doing so, they will explore reading materials dealing with four topics—1) Rhetoric 2) Gender 3) Art and 4) War—and produce different types of essays. Armed with the necessary writing skills, students will go through the process of composing a research paper of 3000-3500 words during the second semester.
The writing tasks students have to submit include:
1) autobiography
2) rhetorical analysis (Aristotle’s “Rhetoric” and Obama’s feminism article)
3) critique of the music debate (Mo Tzu’s “Against Music” and Boethius’ “Of Music”)
4) critique of the war debate (Margaret Mead’s “Warfare: AN Invention—Not a Biological Necessities” and “George Orwell’s Pacifism and the War”)
5) multiple-perspective analysis (A topic of your own choice)
By the end of the course, students will
1) learn how to summarize, paraphrase and cite sources with accuracy and concision
2) develop analytical and critical skills in academic writing
3) have completed a substantial piece of academic writing
4) have a better understanding of the steps involved in writing a research paper
Selected texts from Reading the World: Ideas That Matter. Ed. Michael Austin. 3rd (Norton: London, 2015)
Photocopied materials
Grades
20% participation (Oral Presentation 5% class participation 15%)
10% attendance
70 % Essays (autobiography 5%, rhetorical analysis 20%, personal essay on Music 10%, personal essay on War 10%, multiple- perspective essay 25%)
You should type and submit your assignments electronically on time. There is a 10 point penalty for each day late. Any homework that is copied from another source will receive a ‘0’.
Week 1 Introduction
Meet and Greet
Assignment: Autobiography (draft 1 due: Sep 26, 5 pm)
Week 2: Autobiography
Feedback
Peer Review
Autobiography (draft 2 due: Thu: Oct 5)
Assignment: Summary of Aristotle’s “Rhetoric” (pp. 177-183; summary due: Oct 3, 5pm)
Week 3: What is Rhetoric?
Aristotle’s ‘Rhetoric’
Feedback
Peer Review
Assignment: Summary of Obama’s feminism article (due: Oct 9, 5pm)
Week 4: Rhetorical Analysis
Assignment: Rhetorical analysis of how Obama builds his argument (draft 1 due Oct 17)
Week 5: Rhetorical Analysis
Feedback
Peer Review
Assignment: Revising the essay on Obama (draft 2 due: Oct 24)
Summary of Mo Tzu’s “Against Music” (Due Oct 24)
Week 6: Music
Mo Tzu’s “Against Music”
Feedback
Peer Review
Assignment: Personal essay on Mo Tzu’s article (Due Oct 31)
Week 7: Music
Boethius’ “Of Music”
Feedback
Peer Review
Assignment: Summary of Boethius’ “Of Music” (Due Nov 7)
Week 8: Music
Feedback
Peer Review
Assignment: Personal essay on Boethius’ “Of Music” (Due Nov 14)
Week 9 (No Mid-Term Exam)
Assignment: Summary of Margaret Mead’s “Warfare: An Invention—Not a Biological Necessities” (Due Nov 21)
Week 10: War
Margaret Mead’s “Warfare: An Invention”
Peer review
Feedback
Assignment: Personal essay on Mead’s “Warfare: An Invention—Not a Biological Necessities” (Due Nov 28)
Week 11: War
Peer review
Feedback
Assignment: Summary of “George Orwell’s Pacifism and the War” (Due Dec 5)
Week 12: War
Peer review
Feedback
Assignment: Personal Essay on Orwell’s Pacifism and the War” (Due Dec 12)
Week 13 War
Peer review
Feedback
Assignment: Think about your topic for Multiple-perspective Essay
Week 14 Multiple-Perspective Essay
Finding alternative voices
Formulating your argument
Assignment: Outline and conduct research (Due Dec 26)
Week 15 Multiple-Perspective Essay
Peer Review
Feedback
Assignment: Critique of your sources and provide evidence to back up
your argument (Due Jan 2)
Week 16 Multiple-Perspective Essay
Peer Review
Feedback
Assignment: Multiple-Perspective Essay (draft 1 due Jan 9)
Week 17 Multiple-Perspective Essay
Oral Presentations
Assignment Multiple-Perspective Essay (draft 2 due Jan 16)
Week 18 (No Final)
