ENGLISH
CONVERSATION I & COMPOSITION I Spring 2004
Tues. 1:40-3:40 SF309, Fri. 1:40-2:30 AV 212
Cecilia H.C. Liu (MMC office, ext. 3759, 3722)
English Department Homepage
COURSE OBJECTIVES
ˇ´ Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
ˇ´ Compose clear, concise, and forceful sentences and paragraphs into
unified, well- organized essays and papers.
ˇ´ Recognize and apply a variety of development techniques.
ˇ´ Understand and apply basic research and library usage skills.
ˇ´ Combine personal viewpoint and documented sources effectively.
COURSE OVERVIEW
A. Expository writing - emphasis on cause/effect and comparison/contrast
B. Persuasive writing - basic techniques for various arguments,
recognizing illogical reasoning, appealing to emotion, observing ethical
guidelines.
JOURNALS
You are required to keep a journal, not a diary, in which you will make an
average of 4/5 entries every other week. You can (1) record experiences,
observations, thoughts, feelings; (2) respond to your reading, assigned
and personal; (3) write about concepts you learn in courses you take; (4)
comment your own writing process or speaking abilities by presenting
questions, difficulties, or joys you are experiencing with assignments in
our class; and (5) discuss different writing styles or ideas about
speaking you encounter among your classmates.
GROUP WORK
Early in the semester you will be assigned (or will choose) a peer group,
which should meet both inside and outside of class and will communicate
through the computer network. Except giving oral presentations of certain
topics, making impromptu speaking, you shall listen to your classmate
carefully to point out mistakes or find better ways of expression to
improve your own writing and speaking. Through peer evaluation of papers
and talks, I hope each one of you will learn how to respond to your
classmatesˇ¦ papers critically and comments thoughtfully. We criticize to
help improve you as a writer and speaker in this class.
LATENESS
No absences or late papers, please. 5 unexcused absences will result in a
failing grade. Three lates will equal one absence. Late assignments not
accepted.
Grading Policy
Conversation |
ˇ@ |
Composition |
ˇ@ |
Class
participation |
40% |
5 compositions
with revisions |
45% |
Attendance |
10% |
Composition gain |
5% |
Assignments,
exercises |
20% |
Journal |
20% |
Midterm Exam |
15% |
Midterm Exam |
15% |
Final Exam |
15% |
Final Exam |
15% |
**Conversation I and Composition I are officially separate courses,
with separate grades, but they are taught in combination, as language
skills cannot really be compartmentalized. According to English Dept.
regulations, a student who fails one of these courses must repeat them
both; a student who fails any one semester must repeat the whole year.
Adequate speaking and writing skills are crucial to success in this
department.
ENGLISH
CONVERSATION I & COMPOSITION I Spring 2004 SYLLABUS
Discussion Board
Useful Websites
ˇ@
|