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University of International Business and Economics
International Summer Session
ENG 110: College Composition
Term: June 29-July 31, 2015
Instructor: Laura Brodie
Home Institution: Washington and Lee University
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Class hours: Monday through Friday, 95 minutes each day (2375 minutes in total)
Discussion session: 2 hours each week (600 minutes in total)
Credit: 4
Total contact hours: 66 hours (45minutes each)
Course Overview
This five-week course helps students to become effective writers in English by focusing on
four of the most common essay formats in the English language: the personal essay, the
argumentative essay; the analysis of a written text; and the journalistic profile. The course
uses The Norton Field Guide to Writing, which provides models of all of the four essay styles,
as well as extensive information on all aspects of composition and rhetoric.
The class provides lessons in grammar, diction and spelling, while giving students much
practice in the larger questions of how to generate ideas, structure an essay, persuade
readers, and adjust tone depending on one’s audience. Class time is divided between lectures,
writing exercises, workshops of student essays, and study of published essays in the Norton
Field Guide. Depending on class size, individual conferences will be held with all students.
Required Text
The Norton Field Guide to Writing, ed. Bullock, Goggin, Weinberg
Xeroxes provided by the professor
Attendance
Summer school is very intense and to be successful, students need to attend every class.
Occasionally, due to illness or other unavoidable circumstance, a student may need to miss
a class. UIBE policy requires a medical certificate to be excused. Any unexcused absence
may affect the student's grade. Moreover, UIBE policy is that a student who has more than
1/3 of the class in unexcused absences will fail the course.
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Requirements
Requirements include four three-page essays, including a draft and thorough revision of
each; in-class writing assignments; and participation in class discussion.
Grading Scale
Assignments and examinations will be graded according to the following grade scale:
A
90-100
A–
85-89
B+
82-84
B
78-81
B–
75-77
C+
72-74
C
68-71
C–
64-67
D
60-63
F
below 60
General expectations: Students are expected to:
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Attend all classes and be responsible for all material covered in class and otherwise
assigned. Any unexcused absence may impact a student's grade. Moreover, UIBE
policy is that a student who has missed more than 1/3 classes of a course will fail the
course
Complete the day’s required reading and assignments before class
Participate in group discussions and project
Refrain from texting, phoning or engaging in computer activities unrelated to class during class
Participate in class discussions and complete required written work on time Course Schedule:
Week 1: The Essay of Personal Reflection
Monday: Lecture on the personal essay—structure, contents, tone. Brainstorming
ideas for personal essays. In-class writing exercise: students write a brief one-page
literacy narrative, describing their experience with the English language, and what
they hope to learn from this class.
Tuesday: Readings--Agosin “Always Living in Spanish,” Safran Foer, “My Life as a
Dog” from the Norton Field Guide—Study how these essays are constructed.
Wednesday: Draft of Personal Essay due, class workshop of drafts
Thursday: Lessons in grammar and style—a lecture addressing the most common
mistakes in the student drafts. Reading: Huyler, “Burn”
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Friday: Revised essay due-students read the class excerpts from their papers;
Reading: MacKay: “Organ Sales will Save Lives”: Study MacKay in preparation for the
next week.
Week 2: The Argumentative Essay
Monday: Lecture on the argumentative essay—structure, contents, tone and
audience. In- class writing exercise, students write a persuasive paragraph on a topic
in the news.
Tuesday: Readings—Carter, “Just Be Nice,” students will take a position on a
controversy in Carter’s essay, and write a paragraph defending their ideas.
Wednesday: Draft of Argumentative Essay due; class workshop of drafts
Thursday: Lessons in grammar and style—a lecture addressing the most common
mistakes in the argumentative essays. Reading: Sample Op Ed from The New York
Times
Friday: Revised essay due, discussion of Safire, “A Spirit Reborn” in preparation for
analytical essays
Week 3: Analysis of a Text
Monday: Lecture on the analytical essay—examples of how to close-read poetry,
using a sonnet by Shakespeare, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.”
Tuesday: Readings-- Wood, “Victory Speech,” Obama’s “Election Night Remarks”
Wednesday: Draft of Analytical Essays due; class workshop of drafts
Thursday: Lessons in grammar and style—a lecture addressing the most common
problems in the students’ analytical essays.
Friday: Revised Essay Due, Smith, “Johnny Depp, Unlikely Superstar”
Week 4: The Journalistic Profile of a Person or Place
Monday: Lecture on profile writing and journalism-- brainstorm possible people to
profile.
Tuesday: Readings: Baker “Jimmy Santiago Baca”
Wednesday: Interview Practice--students interview a classmate and write a onepage profile of that classmate
Thursday: Share classmate profiles, write interview questions for essay, brainstorm
information needed to write the profile
Friday: Readings: Didion, “Georgia O’Keefe”
Week 5: The Profile Continued
Monday: How to outline a paper—students outline their profiles in class.
Tuesday: Draft of profile due; class workshop of drafts
Wednesday: Lessons in Grammar, Style and Research, based on the students’drafts
Thursday: student readings of profiles, profiles from The New Yorker
Friday: Revision of profiles due, Review and Conclusions
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