Writing 135

English Composition

This course is designed to introduce students to college-level writing skills and improve those skills through extensive practice in writing.  The type of writing is restricted to expository and argumentative; do not expect to write personal narratives, poetry, or stories.  While personal experience often enhances an expository or argumentative essay, the personal is controlled by the larger purpose.

Students in WR 135 work on strengthening skills in expository and argumentative writing, especially those skills which transfer across disciplinary lines and are components of "good writing" in any field. Because this course is designed to focus on larger issues of organization, development, and critical reading, students who still experience major problems at the sentence level should pass WR 115 before trying WR 135. While I am not scheduling individual conferences, the revision workshops will often use one-on-one time, and I encourage you to make appointments with me to discuss your work.

Over the term, expect to write nearly every day in class, as well as have writing homework. Reading assignments are minimal, but integral. The in-class writing and group work will either feed into your essay assignments, give you practice with a particular type of writing, or be directed at revising what you have already drafted. Your class log will consist of all homework exercises, in-class exercises, and miscellaneous freewrites (basically, anything that is not a draft or a revision); use a pocket folder to keep all these papers in order and always bring it to class. The log will be assessed for completeness when it is turned in; labeling each item carefully as it’s done will save you time later on.

College freshmen come in with a wide range of skills.  Some of you have written extensively throughout high school; others slid by with one or two papers a year.   Some can spell but can't paragraph; others can punctuate.  During the course, you all will be sharing and building skills.  Where one is strong, that student can solidify that strength by using it to help others.  This does not mean one person does all the work for 3 others.  Each person is expected to work; some will work harder than others, that's life.

Class time will be used extensively for exploratory writing:  trying several different types of introductions, re-ordering paragraphs, shortening and lengthening sentences, substituting words, etc.  Missing class means missing part of the process, and in this class process is very important.  The more you become aware of the writing process -- YOUR writing process -- the better a writer you will become.  I look forward to helping all of you become better writers.