SUU English 1010 On-line:
Schedule for Current Semester


Important note: This syllabus is for students beginning their 1010 work in August 1999 or later in the school year. Students who are completing the class currently, click here to find your old syllabus.

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten

Week Eleven

Week Twelve

Week Thirteen

Week Fourteen

Remaining Weeks



WEEK ONE

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
Tuesday
  • Class officially begins today! In Scott, Foresman, read Chapter One, pages 3-21 (or pages 2-19 in the 5th ediition).
  • Complete the three exercises in the chapter that you find most interesting.
  • E-mail your work to the instructor.
Wednesday
  • In St. Martin's, read about "Remembering Events" (pages18-21).
  • Read the first quarter of House on Mango Street.
Thursday
  • Answer one of the questions listed under the first set of Mango Street "reflecting questions. " (Write at least two or three substantial paragraphs.)
  • E-mail your response to your instructor.
Friday
  • Read the second quarter of House on Mango Street.
  • Answer the questions listed under the second set of reflecting questions.
  • E-mail your response to the instructor.

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WEEK TWO

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Read the third quarter of House on Mango Street.
  • Answer one of the questions listed under the third set of reflecting questions.
  • E-mail your response to the instructor.
  • .
Tuesday
  • Read the fourth quarter of House on Mango Street.
  • Answer one of the questions listed under the fourth set of reflecting questions.
  • E-mail your response to the instructor.
Wednesday
  • Post two or three paragraphs to the instructor, explaining what you think the author's main purpose was in writing the book for whom the book is intended. Also speculate about what point Cisneros wants to make for her readers. Finally, explain what you liked and/or disliked about the book. Try to back up your statements with specific examples and quotations taken from the book.
Thursday
  • Choose the essay option you want to pursue for your first paper.
  • Complete the warm-up exercise for the option and e-mail your response to the instructor.
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about choosing a title as a way to give your draft focus (pages 51-53, or in the 5th edition, pages 52-53).
  • Write out three possible titles for your paper and e-mail them to the instructor.
Friday
  • In your St. Martin's Guide, read about narrating (pages 481-490);
  • Complete Exercises 14.3, 14.5, and 14.9. Try to tie 14.9 to the paper you're working on.
  • E-mail your work to the instructor.

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WEEK THREE

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • In your St. Martin's Guide, read about describing (pages 491-502).
  • Complete any of the three exercises that you can tie to the topic of your current paper.
  • E-mail your work to the instructor.
  • If you have trouble getting started with your writing--or keeping a draft going, look at the ideas suggested in Scott, Foresman, pages 54-60 or follow the Internet links listed under "writing processes."
  • It's early, but choose a book from your second set of options; order it from the SUU bookstore or find it in your local library. You'll be needing the book by a week from Wednesday.
Tuesday
  • Complete your essay draft. Don't spend too much time editing your rough drafts but do at least use your word processing program's spellcheck program to eliminate obvious errors that will make your draft difficult to read.
Wednesday
  • E-mail your draft to the instructor.
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about working on a draft collaboratively (beginning at the bottom of page 62 and continuing through 70) Pay especially close attention to the suggestions about summarizing your reactions after you've read a paper--that's exactly what you'll be doing tomorrow!
Thursday
  • Let me know that you're ready to critique someone else's response to this paper. I'll e-mail you a classmate's draft (if one is available) or give you directions about which St. Martin's essay to examine.
  • After carefully reading the paper at least twice, analyze its strengths and weaknesses. As you answer each question, be careful to phrase criticisms in a positive way. Remember, a writer can't see your friendly face! So your words have to convey your helpful attitude.
    1. Which sections of the paper do you like best? Why?
    2. List three examples of parts of the paper where the language is especially concrete, descriptive, and interesting.
    3. What does the point/purpose of the paper seem to be? What main idea does it leave you with?
    4. Which sections of the paper seem a little abstract and vague; which might be expanded with more concrete description?
    5. Does the paper seem to "hang together" to make a point? Do any parts seem distracting or unrelated to the point or impression that the writer is trying to make?
    6. Post your comments to the instructor; be sure to make the subject line very specific--for example: JS's comments on Mike's story.
Friday
  • In your St. Martin's Guide, read about revising, pages 51-53.
  • Write out a plan for revising your paper; e-mail it to the instructor.

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WEEK FOUR

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about spelling, pages 739-747. (If you are using the 5th edition, read about proofreading instead on pages 79-81.)
  • Complete Exercise 37.3 and e-mail it to the instructor. (If you are using the fifth edition, complete Exercise 4.3 on page 80)
  • Proofread your draft for common errors--especially commonly confused words such as it's/its, their/they're/there, past/passed, effect/affect, your/you're, and the misspelling alot.
Tuesday
  • In an e-mail message to the instructor, explain what you learned about yourself or about writing as you created your paper. Also explain how your paper changed during the drafting process, and what its strengths and weaknesses are.
  • E-mail the message and your edited essay to the instructor.
Wednesday
  • Begin reading the first section of your new book(first set after Mango Street).
Thursday
  • Finish reading the first quarter of your new book.
  • Choose one option from your first set of study questions and e-mail them to the instructor.
Friday
  • Begin reading the second quarter of your new book.
  • Read about "defining" in your St. Martin's Guide, pages 503-512. Then either complete Exercise 16.7 on page 512 OR write a definition of stereotype, relationship, or ritual, after clicking on the link to these directions.
  • E-mail your assignment to the instructor.

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WEEK FIVE

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Finish reading the second quarter of your book.
  • Choose one option from your second set of study questions and e-mail them to me.
Tuesday
  • In your St. Martin's Guide, read about comparing and contrasting on pages 520-523. Complete Exercise 18.1 OR for an assignment more directly tied to the next essay you'll be writing, follow the directions in this link.
  • Start reading the third quarter of your book.
Wednesday
  • Choose one option from your third set of study questions and e-mail them to the instructor.
Thursday
  • Start reading the fourth quarter of your book.
Friday
  • Choose one option from your last set of study questions and e-mail them to the instructor.

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WEEK SIX

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Choose your essay option, complete the "warm-up option" that accompanies it, and e-mail it to me.
  • It's early, but choose your next book and take steps to acquire it. You'll need at the end of next week.
Tuesday
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about thesis statements, pages 30-37 in the 5th edition, pages 28-37). Complete Exercise 2.4 on page 33 (in the 5th edition, Exercise 2.3), explaining the reasons for your ranking of the listed thesis statements. E-mail your work to me.
Wednesday
  • Using ONE of the techniques listed in Scott, Foresman, create a draft of a thesis for your own essay. E-mail me, explaining which technique you used and how it worked for you. Be sure to include your thesis statement draft in your mailing.
Thursday
  • E-mail me to find out the details of the brief critique you'll write of a fellow student's response to this assignment (if one is available) or of a St. Martin's essay that I'll specify.
Friday
  • Send me a brief critique of the essay I asked you to read.
  • Write the first draft of your essay and e-mail it to me.

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WEEK SEVEN

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about fragments, pages 369-376 (in the 5th edition, 500-504.
  • Complete Exercises 24.1 and 24.2 on page 374 (in the 5th edition, 30.1) and e-mail them to me.
Tuesday
  • In an e-mail message to me, explain how you plan to revise your essay. Please be as specific as possible about the changes you want to make.
Wednesday
  • Work on revising your essay.
  • Proofread your draft for unintentional fragments.
Thursday
  • E-mail your final to me along with an explanation about what you learned in writing your paper, how it changed during the drafting process, and what its strengths and weaknesses are.
Friday
  • Begin reading the first quarter of your new book.

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WEEK EIGHT

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Choose one option from your first set of study questions and e-mail your work to me.
Tuesday
  • Read the next section of your book
Wednesday
  • Respond to your second study question option and e-mail your work to me.
Thursday
  • Read the third section of your book.
Friday
  • Respond to your third study question option and e-mail your response to me.

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WEEK NINE

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Read the last section of your book,
Tuesday
  • Complete your last study question option and mail your work to me.
Wednesday
  • In St. Martin's, read about arguing (pages 526-529).
  • Complete exercises 19.1 and 19.2 on page 529.
Thursday
  • Continue to read about arguing in St. Martin's (pages 529-537).
  • Complete Exercises 19.2, 19.3, and 19.5. (
Friday
  • Read about "Counterarguing" in St. Martin's (pages 537-543).
  • Complete Exercises 19.11, 19.13, and 19.14.

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WEEK TEN

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Select your essay option and let me know which one you've chosen and why.
  • For your "warm-up" exercise this time, find at least three sources that you might use directly to help you write your essay or indirectly as background. You may use either library or Internet sources. (For help in finding sources, ask your local librarian and read about finding information in Scott, Foresman, pages 517-543--or , in the 5th edition, starting on page 589) Evaluate your sources, using Scott, Foresman's advice 542-546 (or, in the 5th edition, starting on 616).
Tuesday
  • Find at least four more sources on your research topic and send me an evaluation of each one, using the same criteria as for your previous assignment.
Wednesday
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about how to summarize and paraphrase your sources (pages 551-560, or, in the 5th edition, starting on page 636).
Thursday
  • In Scott, Foresman, begin reading about documentation in Chapter 35, starting on page 590), (or, in the 5th edition, Chapter 37, starting on page 676). Don't try to look at every last detail; just scan for the major concepts.
Friday
  • Finish scanning the Scott, Foresman chapter on documentation. Be sure to look at the sample paper at the end of unit. If you're using Internet sources, also look at ACW documentation hints, starting on page 771. (The 5th edition has incorporated this information into the MLA chapter.)

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WEEK ELEVEN

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Refresh your memory about the importance of audience by reviewing pages 14-16 (in the 5th edition, starting on page 10) in Scott, Foresman and then BRIEFLY answering the questions on the audience worksheet on page 15 (in the 5th edition, page 12). E-mail your responses to me. Also read the next section on "purpose" and complete the "purpose worksheet."
Tuesday
  • In Scott, Foresman, read about organizing and outlining (pages 36-50 or, in the 5th edition, starting on page 37. Create an outline for your essay option, choosing one of the methods explained. E-mail your outline to me.
Wednesday
  • After you receive my comments on your outline, work on a rough draft of your essay.
Thursday
  • E-mail me the rough draft of your essay, along with a note that explains what purpose you have in mind in connection with a specific audience. Please note where and why your ideas about audience and purpose have changed as you wrote the draft. Also explain features of your essay that you think help you reach your audience.
Friday
  • Take a break--you deserve it!

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WEEK TWELVE

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • While you're waiting for my comments on your Essay III draft, begin thinking about Essay IV. This time, instead of writing an essay inspired by a new novel, you'll be writing a 3-4 page evaluation or review of one of the three books you've read for class. To get an overview of what's required by this paper, look in St. Martin's at the explanation of "The Writing Assignment" on the top of page 317 and the "Summary of Basic Features" of this kind of writing on pages 315-316.
    • Then read the first part of the chapter, pages 290-299. Finally, find one or two friends, and ask them to do the exercise on page 293. Send me a brief e-mail of what you and your friends decided in connection with Part 2.
Tuesday
  • In St. Martin's , read "Working at McDonalds" and the explanation that follows it. Complete questions No. 1 and No. 2 under "Analyzing Writing Strategies"; e-mail your work to me.
Wednesday
  • In St. Martin's, read "Talking Trash" and the explanation that follows it. Complete questions No. 1 and No. 2 under "Analyzing Writing Strategies"; e-mail your work to me. (Don't send your underlining of examples, however!)
Thursday
  • After again reviewing the "Summary of Basic Features" on pages 315-316 and the description of the essay assignment on the top of page 317, work through the "Exploring your Subject" (at the bottom of the page) and "Considering Your Judgment" questions on pages 318-319. E-mail me your work as usual.
Friday
  • In St. Martin's, continue working through the helps at the end of the chapter, focusing on "Analyzing Your Readers" (page 319), "Reconsidering Your Judgment" (321); and "Developing and Argumentative Strategy" (321-322). E-mail me your work as usual.

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WEEK THIRTEEN

Date:

Assignments:
Monday
  • Make notes on the "Planning and Drafting" questions, pages 322-324, choosing a few questions under each subheading that seem especially important to your paper. E-mail your answers to me as usual.
Tuesday
  • Work on the draft of your paper.
Wednesday
  • Continue working on the draft of your paper.
Thursday
  • Continue working on the draft of your paper.
Friday
  • Send a draft of your rough draft to me with a plan for revision based on pages 327-329.

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REMAINING WEEKS

Date:

Assignments:
The class's three final weeks
  • After you receive comments back to me about your last essay, prepare your final portfolio. Be sure to ask for ANY advice you need as you complete your final revisions for this presentation of your work. The portfolio should contain a letter to me explaining how you've grown and changed as a writer this quarter, revised copies of all four of your formal essays along with a note attached to each one explaining what improvements you've made, and a fifth piece of writing that will be a polished version of one of your responses to the study questions you've completed. Please e-mail your portfolio to me by the usual method or create a paper version and send it via the postal service to me, care of the Department of Language and Literature, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah 84720.


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E-mail the instructor.


Page last updated Aug. 11, 1999