English 316, Sec. 1
Instructor: Phil Druker
Fall 2009
Office: Brink
204
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/druker/envirowrite.htm
email:
phild@uidaho.edu
Environmental Writing
COURSE GUIDELINES:
Text:
Environmental Writing Course Pamphlet, Spring 2009.
(Required) Available at UI Bookstore.
On-line articles:
These are available through the 316 Course Web
Site and the UI Library Reserve Desk. Go to
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/druker/envirowrite.htm. Click on “Articles”
and a list will appear. Click on the article that you want to read.
To open the article use:
Username:
reserve
Password: Ei8erg
è Print the article and bring it
to class as requested.
Course Goals:
English 316
gives students experience with researching an issue with which they have
personal experience and writing an extended essay on that research.
Through the course, students will develop research skills, develop writing
skills, develop their own voice in writing, and gain expertise in a topic of
their own choice. Each student will produce a reasonably
sophisticated, extended, creative non-fiction research essay as a final
product for the course.
Course Grade:
Your grade will be based on these assignments:
|
1.
Place/ Narration assignment |
10 |
| 2.
Proposal for the project |
15 |
|
3.
Interview assignment |
15 |
|
4.
Section of final essay |
15 |
|
5.
Final Research Essay
|
25 |
|
6.
Letter of transmittal / letter
to an official |
5 |
| 8.
Oral Report (short,
informal) |
4 |
| 9.
Leader of class discussion** |
2 |
| 10. Teacher
points* |
3
|
| 11. Style checks |
6 (2 points each)
|
|
Total |
100
points |
To pass the course, you must submit an
acceptable final research essay. The final essay will be composed of
assignments 1 through 5 plus one new section. The final essay
and the other assignments need to be based on ideas you present in your
proposal. When assignments require secondary research, you will want
to rely on sophisticated sources; thus, you will not want to rely on
information from popular magazines such as Time,
Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, People,
Reader's Digest
etc.
When you use information from the Internet,
you need to evaluate the information and source carefully.
Note: We may add one exercise (brief homework/in-class assignment)
worth 5 points.
*Teacher points: These points will be awarded
for participation in class, promptness, progress,
and involvement with the course. During the course, we will be
discussing issues and ideas from the text and from your research. Your
participation will be necessary for this course to work.
**Leader of class discussion: You will
receive credit for presenting a part of your draft to the class. To do
this, you will need to make a single-spaced one page photocopy of a section
of your work to present to each class member.
Basic criteria for evaluating written work.
Various assignments will have other,
specific criteria that apply specifically to creative non-fiction along with
the following criteria:
I will use three
main criteria for evaluating your work: (1) content (2)
organization, and (3) style.
Demonstrates excellent (better than
very good) (A):
The document accomplishes the reader's and
writer's purposes efficiently and effectively by providing useful,
understandable, and well thought-out information that is accurate and
complete. The paper cogently (clearly and forcefully) develops one
central idea (stated in a thesis sentence) that is thoroughly supported by
relevant details presented through creative non-fiction techniques. The text
is organized clearly and logically so that the main points are emphasized.
Transitions give the paragraphs a logical flow, and each paragraph has a
specific purpose. The format is correct and emphasizes the main ideas.
The style (grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization) is perfect.
Diction (word choice) is mature. The writing is concise.
Demonstrates above average / very good (B):
The document accomplishes the reader's and writer's
purposes. The writer develops one central idea (thesis), which is clearly
stated and supported by useful, accurate, relevant details presented through
creative non-fiction techniques. The organization of the text is generally
logical, and the main points are adequately emphasized. Each paragraph has
a specific purpose. The format is correct. The style is usually correct,
but the text might contain some awkward sentences. There are no basic
grammar or punctuation errors, but there might be a few errors in complicated
sentences. The text might contain a few errors in punctuation, spelling,
or capitalization. Diction is effective, and the sentences are usually
concise.
Demonstrates average / OK work / acceptable (C):
This document accomplishes the writer's purposes
more than the reader's purposes. The paper does not fully or carefully
develop one central idea, or that idea might not be clearly stated. The
central idea is supported with some details, but the document leaves the reader
with many questions. Some ideas or details are irrelevant. The
organization of the text is logical, but jumps in thought might confuse the
reader. The document contains paragraphs, but some paragraphs lack a
specific purpose. The format is acceptable. The style contains a few basic
errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Sentences are awkward; some
are unclear. Diction is incorrect or not effective. Sentences are
wordy.
Below average / minimally acceptable
(D)
Unacceptable (F)
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
A. All papers must be turned in on the scheduled
due date. Papers turned in late will not receive full credit unless you submit
(in at least 24 hours in advance of the due date) a short note explaining the
situation and stating when you plan to submit the paper. The note, with
the instructor's written endorsement must be turned in with the paper. You
must turn in the final paper by the assigned due date to pass the course.
B. Revision is an important part of
producing good writing and an important part of this course. You will get
credit for having rough drafts on the assigned dates. You may submit rough
drafts to me by email: if you do this, you must 1) send an attachment in
Word, and 2) ask one or two specific questions about the draft. I will
respond as time permits. (Note: you need to do this before the final draft is
due and consider that I don’t look at email in the evenings.) Also, I am
glad to look at drafts during office hours. With rough drafts, I will serve as a
coach (rather than a judge/grader).
C. Assignments must be typed and double spaced
(unless specified otherwise). Use the correct format. Be sure to
leave sufficient margins (1 inch) on each side of the page. Your name,
English 316 and the date should appear on the cover page or upper right-hand or
left-hand corner of the first page. Number each page. Turn off
the right margin justify. Formatting is important. Incorrectly
formatted work will not be acceptable and will be returned without a grade.
D. Please, organize and maintain your secondary
sources so that the instructor can see them. You will need to turn in a
copy of your sources with each paper.
E. Keep all your class work in a folder.
At the end of the semester, you will turn in all of your class work. This will
ensure that your instructor has entered all your grades correctly, and it will
enable him to evaluate the progress you made during the semester.
F. All papers must be written solely by the person
submitting the paper. Papers must be written during this semester. Papers should
not have been previously submitted to or edited by other instructors or
advisors.
G. The grade of incomplete will be given only
following university guidelines.
I. This is a workshop course; therefore
1. Attendance is required. Four or more
absences will adversely affect your grade. (No exceptions.) Absences
not are permitted during oral reports.
2. Class participation constitutes part of your
grade.
3. Please be familiar with the assigned readings
for each class.
4. Come to class prepared to write.
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesday, Thursday: 3:30- 5:00; Wednesday:
10:00-11:00, and at other times by appointment.
Please feel free to see me at any time to
discuss any problems you may be encountering in the course.