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These materials are designed for a ten week Comp 101 course that meets on campus once a week. Make whatever adjustments are needed.
Download a Word document with this information and weekly assignments
for students
Please send me ideas for exercises, writing assignments and readings.
dsorsa@depaul.edu
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Components
of every class (in whatever order works for instructors-students)
instructor sets up short writing task and students write for 20-30 minutes
students and instructor discuss and correct written grammar and composition exercises from homework
students and instructor discuss polished versions of short assignments
students and instructor give feedback to work-in-progress essay assignments
instructor explains next writing assignments and answers questions
discuss readings or other assignments
assignments are posted-collected two days before class meets, so feedback and instruction
depends on student needs and abilities
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Student
assignments every week (6-8 hours at home)
polish/clean the short assignment that was started in class
grammar exercises, online or handouts
larger writing exercises, online or handouts
work on drafting or polishing or finalizing the essay at hand
readings from the textbook or online or handouts
post essays and short assignments on BlackBoard two days before the class meets
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Feedback
strategies for instructors
research indicates formative feedback is key in improving writing
spend 10-20 minutes on each paper before class
skim the whole paper and decide what 2-3 points to emphasize
mark systematic grammar errors in 1st and 2nd paragraphs and ask student/writer to correct the rest
make suggestions on global revision but don't write too much
find something positive (and authentic) to say
don't rewrite the paper for the student
in class, instructor should model formative feedback by using a sample paper not written
by these students (samples will be available online)
peer feedback should be guided by instructor and formative
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Essay
assignments
1000-1500 words for final draft
multiple drafts with formative feedback from instructor and classmates
standard academic format with parenthetical citations and Works Cited page
- Essay #1: Describe and analyze a short video (provided for download or on a CD)
- Essay #2: Review a TV program/movie and incorporate/refute a critic's opinion
- Essay #3: Review 60 Minutes and incorporate/refute a critic's opinion
- Essay #4: Describe and analyze a complex social issue and argue your opinion
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Shorter
writing tasks/assignments
200-500 words
usually drafted in class and polished at home
combine description, summarization, analysis
focused on developing global writing skills, e.g. organization, clarity
opportunities for individualized grammar instruction as needed
- A = describe and analyze a political or satirical cartoon
- B = describe and analyze a political or satirical cartoon or strip
- C = describe and analyze a political or satirical comic strip or photo
- D = describe and analyze a Pulitzer winning photos (or series of photos)
- E = summarize and analyze a movie review
- F = summarize and analyze a movie review or Op Ed column
- G = summarize and analyze another Op Ed column
- H = summarize and analyze a longer article
- I = summarize and analyze a longer article
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Grading
policies
this is a pass/fail course and some students might be happy to slip by with a "C" or "B" on every assignment. Please don't
let that happen
essays, assignments, and exercises are not graded; they are either acceptable academic
papers/assignments or revised
if essays/assignments do not meet academic standards (grammar, format, organization, clarity of
ideas, properly cited sources), then they must be rewritten until those standards are met
all assignments are required assignments
attendance is required
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Suggested
textbook Diana
Hacker, A Writer's Reference http://dianahacker.com/writersref/
Online
materials to support this course http://condor.depaul.edu/~dsorsa/writing
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