Introduction to Non-Fiction Prose
Required Text: Dorwick, Keith, ed., Introduction to the Writing
of Non-Fiction Prose. New York: McGraw-Hill Primis, 1993.
Optional Text: Hacker, Diana. A Writer's Reference. 2nd edition.
New York: Bedford, 1992.
Note: Academic dishonesty (including plagiarism) will earn you
a failing grade for the course. The 1991-93 UIC Undergraduate Catalog defines
academic dishonesty under the section, "Guidelines Regarding Academic Integrity,"
and is available for purchase in the UIC bookstore.
Goals: By the end of this course, you will have read some classic
examples of the art of the non-fiction essay, and learned the basics of
writing in this form. The emphasis of the course will be development of
a literate and polished style. The instructor assumes a basic level of
competence in grammar and usage from students entering this course.
Attendance: Poor attendance and tardiness will affect your final
grade for the course, at my discretion.
Assignments: You will write a number of short, fairly informal
assignments and three longer formal essays: two 4-6 page essays and one
8-10 page essay that will be a development and refinement of one of the
shorter essays. Your writing must reflect your ability to control and use
grammar, usage, diction, tone and style, and may use any of the various
rhetorical modes (description, narration, definition, classification, argument
and persuasion) we will study during the class, though the use of any particular
mode is NOT a requirement for your writing.
Format: You must type all (repeat, all) written assignments for
this class, including any informal exercises I might assign. Please use
one inch margins all around (top, bottom, left, right).
Evaluation: You will receive three formal grades and one holistic
score for this class. Each of the two 4-6 page essays is 20% of your writing
score. The final 8-10 page essay is 60% of your writing score. I will then
modify your writing score by assigning a holistic score which looks at
your performance on informal writing assignments, class participation,
rewriting and revision and group work using the following criteria:
Students who wish to receive a holistic score of HP (High Pass) will:
-
rewrite written assignments as necessary using the suggestions both of
their peers and of the instructor. Rewrites will be substantial, involving
both rethinking and reorganizing ideas, and correction of all error.
-
perform honestly and well in student peer groups and act as resource for
other students. They will offer in-depth criticism of the writing produced
by their peers and not allow any personal differences between members of
their groups to affect the work of the group. They will meet outside class
on their own time if the group decides that additional group time is necessary.
They will always provide adequate copies of the work being evaluated and
be open to criticism and suggestions for change.
-
take part in all discussions and show evidence of having completed all
assigned readings for the course.
Students who wish to receive a holistic score of P (Pass) will:
-
rewrite written assignments as necessary using the suggestions both of
their peers and of the instructor; their changes will, however, tend to
the local (substitution of one word for another, for instance). Their rewrites
will not, for the most part, show evidence of reorganization or the creation
of new text. There will be very little evidence of a distinction between
rewriting and editing, but they will eliminate all grammatical error.
-
take part in all group work, but will not significantly help the other
writers in their group. Their criticism will focus mostly on the local
level (i.e., "you spelled 'university' with a 'z'"). They will meet outside
class times, but only as a last resort. Other group members will need to
police them, needing to remind them of meeting times and places. They will
often attempt to justify the reasons they "did something" rather than listen
to group and consider changes. They will usually provide sufficient copies
of work that the group is evaluating.
-
take part in all discussions and show evidence of having completed all
assigned readings for the course.
Students who wish to receive a holistic score of F (Fail) will:
-
turn in rewrites that show very little evidence of any actual rewriting.
There will no or few changes in structure, no or few ideas generated for
the rewrite, and little or no creation of any new text. The writer in this
category will use no or few suggestions from either the instructor or class
peers.
-
contribute little or nothing to peer groups. Students will limit their
comments to the affective ("I liked it" or "I didn't like it") but not
provide either reasons why or suggestions for further change. The writer
in this category will not meet outside class and will miss class sessions
when the groups will work during class time. This writer will not turn
in materials on time, and will usually not provide adequate numbers of
copies of assignments for the group.
-
contribute little or nothing to class discussions, and will show little
or no evidence of having read the assigned material for the day.
A grade of HP on the holistic score will raise your writing score one whole
grade level. A grade of P will not affect your writing score at all. A
grade of F on the holistic score will lower your writing score one whole
grade level. The modified writing score will be your final grade for the
course. Thus if a student with a writing score of B received a HP, the
final grade would be an A. If she received a holistic score of P, her final
grade would remain a B. A holistic score of F would lower her final grade
to a C.
There will be a public reading at which all members of the class will
present excerpts from one of their 8-10 page papers! No one is exempted!
This reading will be scheduled during the fifteenth week of the semester.
Missing the final reading will mean an F for the holistic score! On the
other hand, I will supply a cheese tray and wine........
Schedule:
This schedule is tentative and subject to change throughout the semester.
Week One:
1/11/94: Introduction To Course, Diagnostic
1/13/94: Discussion Of First Paper, Dorwick, 1-5
Week Two:
1/18/94: In Class Writing Assignment
1/20/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 6-24
Week Three:
1/25/94: Author's Chair
1/27/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 25-34
Week Four:
2/1/94: Author's Chair
2/3/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 35-40, 57-66
Week Five:
2/8/94: No Class - Student Conferences
2/10/94: No Class - Student Conferences
Week Six:
2/15/94: Author's Chair, Paper 1 Due, No Late Papers Accepted!
2/17/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 41-56
Week Seven:
2/22/94: Author's Chair
2/24/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 67-71, 90-92
Week Eight:
3/1/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 72-89
3/3/94: Author's Chair
Spring Vacation:
3/8/94: No Classes
3/10/94: No Classes
Week Nine:
3/15/94: Author's Chair
3/17/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 93-97, 116-134
Week Ten:
3/22/94: Author's Chair
3/24/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 98-115
Week Eleven:
3/29/94: Author's Chair, Paper 2 Due: No Late Papers Accepted!
3/31/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 135-142
Week Twelve:
4/5/94: Author's Chair
4/7/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 143-165
Week Thirteen:
4/12/94: Author's Chair
4/14/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 166-185
Week Fourteen:
4/19/94: Author's Chair
4/21/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 186-205
Week Fifteen:
4/26/94: Author's Chair
4/28/94: Scailab -- Dorwick, 206-221, Final Paper Due: No Late Papers
Accepted!
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Last Modified: February 12, 1996