Alison Barnes
English 106-02
MWF 12-12:50 McIver 227
Office: 136A McIver Mailbox: 133 McIver
Office Hours: MW 2-3:30
email: albarne2@uncg.edu

Fall 2001

Introduction to Poetry
Writing Intensive

In this course you will use writing as a vehicle for exploring and understanding poetry. You will read every poem in this class many times as you learn to recognize how elements of drama and pattern reveal a poems relationship with human experience and the imagination. Formal writing assignments will introduce you to some popular approaches to writing about poetry, while informal writings will give you freedom to experiment with writing and the ways that it can affect how you think and feel about a poem. Throughout the semester you will reflect on your writing as you investigate the process of reading poetry.

Text
Helen Vendler, Poems, Poets, Poetry

Regular attendance and participation are critical to this course since there is no way to make up in-class work. After two absences each absence will reduce your grade by a letter. There is no such thing as an excused absence so plan your time carefully. Speak to me in advance if you are worried about missing a class. Anyone missing more than six classes will receive an F in the course. Arriving late to class is rude. If you arrive ten minutes late you will be marked absent. Absence is not an acceptable excuse for late papers.

Intensive reading is an integral part of this course. Assigned readings will include poems as well as writings about poems. You must complete all of the assigned reading to be successful in this course.

This is a loose-leaf notebook for your in-class and informal writing. Because I will collect much of the informal writing that you do both in and out of class, you will need to keep your writing organized in a readers notebook.

During the second half of this course, you will pair up with someone in the class to give a presentation about a poet. In addition to introducing information about your poets life, you and your partner will each present a close reading of one poem written by your poet. This close reading will be the basis for one of your formal essays.

You will be required to conference with me about your presentation during the second half of this course. Additionally, we will discuss the progress of your essay that you will base on the close reading section of your presentation. I also encourage you to conference with me any time during my office hours or by appointment

You will spend a great deal of time in this course working in small groups. Groups will regularly present their work and ideas to the class.

Writing several drafts of an essay is an important part of the writing process. It helps us develop and clarify our ideas as well as gives us as a deeper understanding of ourselves as writers. You will write several drafts for each of the assigned essays.

Several times during the semester you will share drafts of your essays with a small group. In this group you will engage in thoughtful discussions about your classmates writing.

You will need to attend and write about one poetry reading held on the UNCG campus this semester. You will receive a copy of the poetry reading schedule, along with further instructions for this assignment.

Poetry Daily (www.poems.com) and Web Del Sol (www.webdelsol.com) are two websites that publish poems on the web. You will need to choose a poem from one of these sights and then read this poem to the class. The poems from the web will each be jumping off points for informal writings. Further instructions about this assignment will follow.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated

Friday October 12 is the last day to drop this course without academic penalty

At the completion of this course you will be able to:

- Identify and understand varied characteristics of literature

- Apply techniques of literary analysis to texts

- Use literary study to develop skills in careful reading

- Adapt modes of communication to the audience

- Incorporate constructive feedback from readers to improve the written work

The evaluation of your work in this course will be based on your fulfillment of the class requirements as well as on the following:

50% Essays

For the first essay you will turn in both a first and a final draft. Your grade on this essay will be based on the quality of the final essay as well as on the development of your writing from the first draft to the final essay. For each following essay assignment you will turn in a final essay that I will return with a grade and a written comment. The final evaluation of your essays will be based on these grades as well as on the progress of your writing over the course of the semester.

10% In-class Presentation

40% Informal Writing and Class Participation

The evaluation of informal writing and class participation will be based on your willingness to challenge yourself, try new things, think in new ways and see something from a different perspective as both a writer and a reader. Class participation refers to quality, not necessarily quantity. This includes work that you do individually as well as in a group.

If at any point you are unclear about where you stand in the course it is your responsibility to conference with me so that we can discuss it.

The Writing Center is a resource where you can receive feedback on your writing. You are encouraged to use this free service when you are writing or revising a paper. The Writing Center is not limited to students who have "problems" with writing. Drop in at 101 McIver or call: 3343125 for an appointment.