ˇ@

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@