Shelby Smoak
Fall 2004
Tue./Thur. 12:30-1:45 and 2:00-3:15
Rm: Petty 329
Email: srsmoak@uncg.edu
Phone:
Office Hours:
Required Texts:
Marie Winn. The Plug-In Drug. ISBN: 0-14-200108-2
Amanda Sheahan Wells. Psycho. ISBN: 0-582-43191-3
Steve Neale (editor). Genre and Contemporary Hollywood. ISBN: 0-85170-887-0
Mary Pipher. The Middle of Everywhere. ISBN: 0-15-602737-2
The Little, Brown Essential Handbook for Writers.
Goals:
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
? Interpret and evaluate argumentative discourse, including writing and speech
? Construct cogent arguments
? Communicate those arguments clearly, coherently and effectively
? Locate, synthesize, and evaluate relevant information
? Demonstrate an understanding of the aims and methods of intellectual discourse
? Weigh evidence and evaluate the arguments of differing viewpoints
Expectations:
It should come as no surprise that, in this course, you will write. It is a writing class. The stress of this course is to have you become writers that are more engaged and are closer to your work. Simply, I expect you to become stronger writers. Good writing, however, is not easy; it is hard work.
To improve your writing, you will:
? Become a better reader. (Good writing requires good reading.)
? Discuss essays in informal and relaxed classroom conversation.
? Respond to reading assignments through short journal entries.
? Understand essay format and structure.
? Enter into the critical dialogue through written and verbal responses.
? Improve sentence structure and grammar skills.
Remember: freshman have at least four (sometimes more) years of classes which, in most cases, will require papers. So, it’s best to learn it now while it is being taught and not later when there are other pressing issues that surround your collegiate career.
The writing for the course will involve many forms. In some cases these writings will be very informal; in others, they will be formal written assignments. Group projects will also be incorporated into the writing process. This will show you how writing is much, much more than something done in complete privacy—how it is something to be shared and talked about and how the audience is involved in the process as well.
Requirements
? Two five page papers (mid and final term)
? Several two page response papers
? Quizzes (especially grammar)
? Journal entries
? Group work
? Regular and prepared attendance
? Class participation
? Conferences with me
MISC.
? NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED! (If you are suddenly ill the day of a turn
in, you must find a way to turn in your work via another student or contact
me before 5 pm. Quizzes cannot be made up; one is automatically dropped.)
? I expect for you to be in class on time. Problematic tardiness will result
in absences.
? Several absences will result in failure. (I expect the average student to
have no more than three absences in a semester. That’s a week and a half
of class. I can accommodate extenuating circumstances, but will not tolerate
flimsy excuses such as head cold, had the flu, overslept, or went to gradma’s
funeral.)
? No cell phones or any other distracting, beeping, telecommunicating objects.
? Double space all work and keep the font normal (12pt. Times New Roman). My
sight needs no help.
? Make all your work and your interaction with the class respectful and worthy
of a college student
? Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please understand that if it is discovered,
your punishment will be merciless and can result in failure of the course.
(Imagine here that painful parting scene of Braveheart.)
? If you have any special learning needs, don’t hesitate to let me know
and I will help you as much as I can
Fall 2004 Schedule
Aug. 17 Intro
*Aug. 19 Read “Shame” (handout); Letter to Me Due (2 pages)
Aug. 24 Read “Safe-Sex Lies” (handout)
*Aug. 26 Read Middle “Prelude” + Ch. 1; Response #1 Due (2-3 pages)
Aug. 31 NO CLASS. CONFERENCES WITH ME.
Sept. 2 Read Middle Chs. 4 + 7
*Sept. 7 Read excerpt “American vs. Multiculturalism” (e-reserve);
Response #2 Due
Sept. 9 Grammar Begins: Verbs and Sentences
Sept. 14 Read Plug-In Drug Chs. 1-3
Sept. 16 Read Plug-In Drug Chs. 5,7,8
*Sept. 21 Read Plug-In Drug Chs. 9,10; Response #3 Due
*Sept. 23 Outline, Structure, & Thesis Revision; Personal Essay Draft Due
(2-3 pages)
Sept. 28 Emphasis and Sentence Structure Revision; Poem Handout Surprise
Sept. 30 Read Short Story (TBA)
*Oct. 5 Group Draft Revisions; Revised Draft Due (5 pages) + Copies for Group
Oct. 7 Final Edits
Oct. 12 FALL BREAK
*Oct. 14 Read (TBA); Film Terms, Writing Reviews; Personal Essay Due (5 pages)
Oct. 19 Psycho
Oct. 21 Psycho
*Oct. 26 Read Psycho Casebook; Response #4 Due (2 pages)
Oct. 28 More Psycho
*Nov. 2 Read Genre Ch. 2 “Blockbuster”; Response #5 Due (Analyze
Element of Psycho, 2 pages)
Nov. 4 Read Genre Ch. 12 “Hollywood”
*Nov. 9, 11, 16, 18, 23
Genre Movie Group Presentations
Response # 6 Due on Day of Presentation
Will Read Following (order to be decided by drawing) All from Genre:
Ch. 2 “Combat”; Film: Rules of Engagement
Ch. 7 “Biopic” or “Biography”; Film: JFK or Malcolm
X
Ch. 11 “Shakespeare”; Film: Shakespeare in Love
Ch. 16 “Ghetto Reelness”; Film: Boyz N the Hood
Ch. 18 “Grisham”; Film: The Firm or A Time to Kill
Nov. 25 Thanksgiving
*Nov. 30 Draft Revision Workshop; Film Paper Drafts Due (5 pages)
Dec. 2 Final Concerns; Draft work
*Dec 7 (Reading Day) FINAL PAPER DUE by 5 pm. No Excuses. No Lateness.