Class+Overview+and+Syllabus

Welcome to English 102, College Writing and Rhetoric.At its core, this course is designed to improve your argumentative writing skills and give you the tools to dissect and discuss writing in a variety of genres (both creative and scholarly). The capstone of this course is the problem-solution research paper, which will test your ability both to construct a coherent, insightful argument and uphold that argument using reliable, scholarly research.

Unlike ENG101, which is a pass-fail introductory course, ENG102 is graded on a letter scale and the expectations of quality writing are at an intermediate level. What this is likely to mean for you as a student is that this course will demand much more of your time outside of class, and will present new challenges to your current writing skills. In addition to a scholarly level of effort in your writing assignments, I will expect you to routinely contribute to class discussions in a thoughtful manner and to avidly participate in free-writing exercises.

Learning to write is like learning any other skill: it requires repetition, a good deal of patience, and a guiding hand. Growth does not happen overnight, but is the result of a constant and unwavering attention. While I can promise there will be times in this semester which will be taxing, I am available, and willing, to give additional support. I not only enjoy meeting with students in office hours, but I also enjoy being confronted with questions and intellectual debate during class. I will listen to your ideas with the respect they deserve, just as I expect you will listen to mine.

Despite what attitudes you may currently have in regards to writing, I hope that you will come away from the course and our semester together with a deeper understanding of not only what goes into the product, but what steps are necessary in the process. Not only does a knowledge of writing allow you to communicate effectively, it also increases your ability to think critically. In this course you will have the opportunity to critically analyze a personal belief, a fictional story, a protest song and a social problem of your own choosing (which may tie directly into your major of study).

I am excited for the semester, and look forward to getting to know and work with all of you.

Shannon Spies