| description: |
Required Text:
- Seyler, Dorothy U., Read, Reason, Write: An Argument Text
and Reader. 10th
Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2012. (Purchase at the UH Manoa Bookstore)
Writing Assignments:
Four formal papers ranging from approximately 3-6 pages each,
one longer research paper (approximately 8-10 pages), drafts of major
assignments for workshop sessions, daily reading and writing homework exercises
and chapter summaries, and a semester writing log for the final paper project.
This course will
concentrate on developing and improving students' skills in writing clear,
academic, university-level prose.
The approach in this course will emphasize the notion of writing as a
working process. While working on
both informal exercises and developing more formal essay assignments, students
will explore a number of essential stages involved in the writing process which
includes brainstorming and initial inquiry research, outlining and drafting,
peer reviewing, revising, editing, and proofreading their final project. The emphasis in this course will also
include recognizing the significant connection between reading and writing
where the development of better critical/analytical thinking skills produces
more self-reflective writers. The
focus of our major writing assignments will be helping student-writers
understand the rhetorical situation in which we write--that is, writing with a
purpose; understanding your audience, situation/context, stance, and effective
writing strategies and approaches used to communicate ideas clearly and
convincingly.
Daily class
activities will involve a collaborative workshop atmosphere where students will
engage in class discussions and informal writing sessions. Students will also
often work in smaller groups, analyzing reading assignments, which are directly
relevant to a particular writing task, understanding how particular writing
concepts and strategies work within a variety of types of writing, and
reviewing and commenting on drafts of peer work. All in-class activities and homework assignments will focus
on improvement in writing clarity, focus, and clear and purposeful organization
of ideas in order to produce effective, meaningful writing. Formal writing assignments will also
emphasize students learning how to effectively use and integrate current,
credible research into their arguments according to an appropriate set of style
and formatting guidelines. |
