"My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things, trout as well as eternal salvation, came by grace and grace comes by art, and art does not come easy. "

from the movie A River Runs Through It (1992)

Please Note: What you hold is a hard copy of a web document accessible by any computer with internet access. The index units below, showing this document's parts, are not only a sort of organizing table of contents but are on the web  links to the indicated parts of this syllabus.  While the basic plan of this class is established, fine tuning as well as added resources Dec. not be included in this printed version. I will announce alterations to the syllabus in class.   Still, student are encouraged to check the actual web site regularly.

Course Index:

• Course Description
  [texts][tools][objectives][required forms][grading scale][attendance][evaluation][tests][midterm &final][journal][journal samples][the essays][portfolio]
• Class Schedule
  [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][Week Fifteen]

ENG3093 Advanced Composition [3] is an upper division course required of students in Professional Writing and various English major programs.  This semester, the course will cover advanced study of the composing process, essay form, and individual style.  Students will be provided with opportunities to analyze evidence of invention, arrangement, and tone.  While there will also be some emphasis on teaching composition and creative writing, students will be especially exposed to the practical nature of composing and selling non-fictional essays.

Texts:

Required:

How to Write What You Love and Make a Living at It
by Dennis E. Hensley

A Shaw Book / Waterbrook Press

Paperback (2000)

ISBN 0-8788-174-X

Cooley, Thomas (Ed.)                                                   

The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition / Sixth Edition      Required

Paperback (2003)

W.W. Norton;

ISBN: 0-393-97882-6 / paper / 2003 / A

The Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers 7^th Edition              

Prentice Hall; 7th edition (July 22, 2003)

ISBN: 0131234714

www.prenhall.com/hairston

Katie Struckel Brogan (Editor), Robert Brewer (Editor)                  Required

2005 Writer's Market                                                

Paperback:  Publisher: Writers Digest Books; (August 2004)

Art Seamans, Ph.D.                                                         Required

Writing for Growth

Originally Mohican Textbook Pub.

Reprinted by MVNU with permission from author

Course Objectives:

• To provide students with a wide exposure to freelance non-fictional writing.
• To provide students with the experience of writing within a group setting.
• To provide students the opportunity to analyze professional work.
• To provide students the opportunity to analyze and edit peer and elementary writing in order to prepare them for the experience of teaching composition.

Your notebook will be divided into three parts: handouts (like this hardcopy of the syllabus) notes, and your journal.  Even if you type it up, I would like it placed within the notebook.

You will also need Loose leaf paper (for the notebook), colored ink pins (for editing--no pencils please),  paper clips (do not staple assignments), and a manila folder for your writing portfolio.

The Form:

NOTE: All assignments (including homework)  MUST BE TYPED, must be in MLA Format and must be done in 12 to 14 Font.  There will be NO EXCEPTIONS.   If an  assignment is handed in which does not meet these requirements it will be returned without being graded and will be marked down when it is handed in as LATE. See Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers on page 780-833 for examples of MLA layout.

Follow this link to see an example of what is expected as a MLA typed paper.

Remember that even when composing the first copy to be viewed by the class, be sure to hand in work typed.  Furthermore, add one extra line in the MLA header which identifies both the type of essay and which draft (rough or final) it is.

REAL WORD FACTS:  Writing, like drawing or singing, is an art.  All students at the college level can write, draw and sing.  We write home to Mom and Dad, we draw doodles when we are taking notes, and many of us sing in the shower.   Some of us have been blessed by God with a talent in such one or more of these areas.   And some of us are not.  The ramifications of this are that there will be some in class who will seem to get the hang of writing very quickly and who seem to excel very easily.  Others will need to struggle.  It is impossible to guarantee a superior grade even with the promise of effort.  However, students who are attempting to excel should be on the look-out for possible extra credit work and other ways to go beyond what is expected.

How I Grade:

As an upper division class there will be plus (+) and minuses (-) in the grading system this year.

• 90 to 100 is an "A" Exceptional! A cut above--unusually good.
• 87 to 89 is "B+" Very Well Done!
• 84 to 86 is a "B" Well Done! A fine Job!
• 80 to 83 is a "B-" Fairly Good. 
• 77 to 79 is a "C+" Solidly in there!
• 74 to 76 is a "C" Good, a concrete understanding of the subject.
• 70 to 73 is a "C-"  Understanding of subject is workable.
• 60 to 70 is a "D" Passing but weak.
• 59 and below is an "F"  Fell short of required understanding of material.

• [10%] Tests
• [10%] Journals
• [10%] Midterm
• [10%] Final

• [20%] Presentation/ Participation

  Student-led discussion/ analysis of essay from Beyond Borders
  Midterm and Final Readings

• [20%] Writing Analyses

  Personal Writing Profile/ Self -analysis.
  Analyses of professions writing (Selections from Beyond Borders).
  Analyses of advanced student writing (peer evaluation).
  Analyses of intermediate student writing (ENG1043 students).

• [20%] Actual Essay Product

• Tad Bits (A presentation of elements in student writing which drive Dr. Rearick crazy!)
• MLA Guidelines (A power point presentation provided by Cornell University's Writing Lab)

Attendance:
Since this class is strongly based on student involvement, in fact since 20 percent of the grade is centered on editorial work given to peers as they read their work in class, regular and faithful attendance is vital.  This fact is acerbated by the fact that our class meets only twice a week.  Students who miss three classes have missed a week and a half of work.  More than this makes catching up highly unlikely and the student will be asked to drop this course.

Tests:
There will be four tests through the semester based on class discussion and readings: Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Nov. 15, Dec. 11

Midterm and Final
These will be based on the exams.  The Midterm will be on Thursday Oct. 14 in class.  The Final will be on Wednesday Dec. 8 at 10:00 to 11:50

Journal

Your journal is worth ten percent of your grade.  You should write in it twice times a week.  It is your personal repository for what you think about the professional writing being covered in class.  The grade is accumulative and the journals will be check on the following dates:

1.    Sept. 28 (7 Entries Required)

2.    Nov. 8

3.    Dec. 13

I will be looking for the following in your journal:

1.  Two entries per week (totaling 23 by the end of the semester).  Going  beyond that 38 entries could indicate to the instructor the kind of student  who will achieve a high grade (an A).  Please note that writing in your journal is not connected with days on the calendar.  Remember it is also allowable to write two entries on the same day as long as both are adequately developed. Now, please note. . .

 A. Periodic class checks Dec. occur to determine the currency of your journal entries.   So, always bring your journal with you to class.  Furthermore I sometimes give writing time in class for journal entries.

 B. Journals will be handed in three times during the semester:

2. A table of contents made from the thesis sentence found in each entry should be included each time the journal is handed in.

3. Journal entries must be at least 2/3 of a page long.  Furthermore, if you are one of those individuals like St. Paul with BIG handwriting-- "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand"  (Gal. 6:11)--then you should plan to write more than what I have  suggested.  I've seen some fill up 2/3 of a page with "I've been thinking  about our reading."  Note Typing a journal could add to your score an an indication of going the "extra mile."

4. All entries should be numbered and dated

 (For Example: Entry # 10; Sept.. 23^rd).

5. Although I will not be grading the journal harshly concerning mechanics and restarts of thought (which require a single line to cross out some    material), I do expect the final product to be neat and legible.  Also you  should write full sentences within paragraphs--no fragmented stream of  consciousness experiments.  "Split from society--bad."  To be specific, I will be especially looking in your journal for. . .

A. Development of ideas.  Remember that it is not necessary to finish a
work to have a good idea.  In fact waiting till you have finished can be   overwhelming. Keep your journal handy while reading.

B. Interconnectedness of journal entries.  This means that an idea you examine at one point in your journal might have relevance to another work discussed later. Works in literature should not be thought of in a vacuum.

1. A diary. Your entries should be a mixture of commentary concerning what  you read and what you discuss in and out of class about literature.  I do  not want to read (as I have in the past) what you had for lunch or who is  presently percolating your hormones.

2. A place for class notes.  Class notes belong in the section provided for them in your loose leaf.  I should not see your actually writing in your journal  during class.  This also means that a journal is not a re-hashing of what is  covered in class ("today in class we talked about. . .etc. etc.").

Entry One, Sept. 1    "I Write to Make Sense of Ideas Which Bug Me."
Entry Two, Sept. 5   "I Wish I Felt Certain About My Abilities to Edit Peers."
Entry Three, Sept. 6 "I Am a Writer Because I Would Write Even If No One Read My Stuff"
Entry Four, Sept. 10 "I have Some Real Fears About Getting Published"

Journal Entry # 4  Sept, 10

Writing to be published is both a desire and a dread for me.  Of course, I'd love to be able to share with others my ideas and be respected as a worthwhile communicator.  Still, bound up within the goal of getting my name in print is the fear of being rejected by editors and readers.  This can create a real sense of inertia in me.  Furthermore I confess that the exhaustive process of becoming familiar with the "business" aspect of writing, finding audiences, publishers, agents and so forth have very little to do with the creative aspect of writing.  It makes me tired to just think of it.  Or maybe I am just too lazy to do some good old fashioned work.

No that's not it.  In fact as an English professor, I have so many responsibilities pressing on my that I often feel as if I am not getting even the required parts of my occupation finished.  Add to that creatively writing and then add to that the business process of getting published and it's clear why I have this recurring experience of going to sleep at my children's bed time.  Still I know that as the world of Nazarene academics becomes more and more business-like, it will require as it has never done before the publication of works.

Having a list of publications offers a possible employer a quick gauge of one's ability to produce text.  It's a really questionable guideline (a lot like judging a professor by how popular he or she is with students), but in the face of lack of time (which I understand is also a reality in the administrative world) and with the great divorce of the administration from faculty (when do they eat together these days?), publication becomes a easy measuring stick.  Thus, even in schools where traditionally publication has not been required, I suspect it will begin to hold more and more weight.  Want to or not, I need to work on getting published.

Now, it is up to me to be certain what I publish also has merit.

The Process:

During the semester each student will write six essays (three for each half) and bring to class enough copies of the assigned essay for each peer and the instructor to read.  The instructor will provide the parameters for each essay type.  These works will then be read aloud by the author, while at the same time the class will read along and mark their copies according to the provided parameters of what is expected and their own insights.  There will be a few moments of class discussion and then the students will pass to the author their comments.  The author will then do a rewrite and hand it in to the instructor by the next class.

I am in debt to Arthur Seamans' small book Writing for Growth for several concepts of essays included here, for his articulation of concept of "Writing at a Liberal Arts College" from the same work, and for his inspiration and encouragement in my early career experience at Point Loma.

Text Key

HTW --    How to Write What you Love.
SFHW -- The Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers  
TNS -- The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition

WFG -- Writing for Growth

WM-O5--2005 Writer's Market   

Week One:
Monday. Aug. 30 - Friday Sept. 3

Thursday: Sept. 2

Review Syllabus

Introduction and in class writing "Why do You Write?"

Process Feedback (Handout)

Read "Reducing One's Zzzz Factor" (Handout)

Week Two:
Sept. 6- 10

Tuesday: Sept. 7

"Process Essay" Due: Come prepared to share (bring copies)

HTW    pages 3-24 ("Becoming a Freelance Writer" Part I)
TNS:    "Preface" pages xxv-xxvii, "Introduction" 3, "Metamorphosis" 4-7, and "How I Wrote the Moth Essay" 8-15. 

WFG:   pages 1-8 "Introduction" & "Writing at a Liberal Arts College" 
Reading and Peer Editing

Thursday: Sept. 9

SFHW  Part 1 "The Writing Process /What Does Writing Involve?" pages 2-11
TNS:    "The Process of Writing" 16, "The Modes of Writing" 16-17, "Mixing the Modes" 18-20 and "Description" with "The Miss Dennis School of Writing" 21-36.

WFG:   pages  9-12  "An Approach to Writing"
Reading and Peer Editing

5 readers should share "Process Essay" today

For those who read in class, hand in Process Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Three:
Sept.13-17

Tuesday: Sept. 14

After examining WM '05,  hand in 5 Magazine titles in which you would like to be published.
(They must accept freelance contributions)

WM '05 pages 2-5

HTW    pages 25-39 ("Cash, Copywriters, and Clocks" Part II)
TNS:    pages37-46  "A View from the Bridge" & "No Rainbows, No Roses."

WFG:  pages 13-18 "Expressive Writing"

5 readers should share "Process Essay" today

For those who read in class, hand in Process Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday: Sept. 16

SFHW  "How Do You Find and Explore A Topic?"  15-29
TNS:    pages 47-64  "No Wonder They Call Me Bitch" "Narrative," "Real Time Writing" and "The Ashen Guy, Lower Broadway, September 11, 2001."

WFG:  pages 19-25 "The Image Theme"

5 readers should share "Process Essay" today

For those who read in class, hand in Process Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Four:
Sept.20-24

Tuesday: Sept. 21
"Satori Essay" Described

WFG: pages 25-38 "The Memory and Satori Theme"
5 readers should share "Process Essay" today

Thursday Sept. 23
Test One: Covers readings from class discussion and Texts: TNS , Writing for Growth and How to Write

"Satori Essay" Due: Come prepared to share (bring copies for each student and instructor.

5 readers should share their Satorie Essays today

For those who read, hand in Satori Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Five:
Sept. 27- Oct. 1

Tuesday: Sept. 28

Hand in three submission guidelines provided by three of Magazines (check WM '05) in which you would like to be published

• TNS: "The Lion in Winter" 65-71

• WFG: pages 41-53 "The Zuihitsu and Pan Theme"

Reading and Peer Editing
5 readers should share their Satorie Essays today

"First Set of Journals Due: (7 Entries Required)

For those who read, hand in Memory Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday: Sept. 30

TNS: "The Back of the Bus" 72-80; "None of this is Fair" 81-87; "Frank Sinatra's Gum" 88-92.

WFG: pages 53-55 "Persuasive Writing"

Reading and Peer Editing
5 readers should share their Satarie Essays today

For those who read, hand in Memory Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Six:
Oct. 4-8

Tuesday Oct.. 5

TNS:  Chap. 3: "Example" 93-99; "All Seven Deadly Sins. . ." 101-105: "The Invisible Flying Cat" 106-109

HTW 43-58 (" What to Write About" Finding a Salable Subject" "Part II, Chap.. 3)

WFG:  pages 56-59 "The Empathy Letter Theme"
Reading and Peer Editing

For those who read, hand in Satori Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Oct. 7 

SFHW  "How Do You Focus and Organize a Writing Project?" 30-50
Reading and Peer Editing
Test Two:

Covers readings from TNS, SFHW, and How to Write

Week Seven:

Oct. 15-19

Tuesday Oct.. 12

TNS: "English is a Crazy Language" 110-115 and "Politics and the English Language" 373-387

HTW 59-73 (Part II, Chap.. 4)
WM . 6-12 "Before You Make Your First Sale."   

WFG:  33-41 (Review Satori) 60-71 "The Irony Theme"

For those who read, hand in "Satori" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Oct. 14   Midterm EXAM

Week Eight:

Oct. 22-26

Midterm Break!

Tuesday Oct. 23 

TNS: "Jazz: Music Beyond Time and Nations" 116-122 and "Homeward Bound" 123-126

HTW 76-98 (Part III, Chap. 5)
WFG:  pages 71-78 "The Analogy Theme"

"Sense of Place" Essay" Described

For those who read, hand in "Satori" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Oct. 25 

TNS: "Classification and Division" 127-131 "Mother Tongue" 132-139 and "The Color of Success" 140-145

WM . "Entry-Level Opportunities" and "Popular Magazines" 13-19.   

For those who read, hand in "Sense of Place" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Nine:

Oct. 29 - Nov. 2

Tuesday Oct. 26

HTW 99-115 (Part III, Chap.. 6)
WFG: pages 79-81 "Referential Writing"

For those who read, hand in "Satori" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Oct. 28

"Sense of Place Essay" Due: Come prepared to share (bring copies)

TNS: "Remembering My Childhood on the Continent of Africa" 240 "Once More to the Lake" 400-407

HTW 116-130 (Part III, Chap. 7)

For those who read, hand in "Sense of Place" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Ten:

Nov. 1-9 

Tuesday Nov. 2

TNS: "What Do You Call a Platypus? 146-153 "Science, Guided by Ethics, Can Lift Up the Poor" 154-158

SFHW  Part 2, Sec. 4 "Developing Ideas" a-b; pages 57-73
WFG: pages 82-86 "The Quest Theme"

5 readers should share their "Sense of Place" Essays today

Reading and Peer Editing

For those who read, hand in "Irony" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Nov. 8

TNS: "The Rise of the Blended American" 159-162 

5 readers should share their "Irony" Essays today

For those who read, hand in "Irony" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.
Reading and Peer Editing

Second Journal Check (At least 18 entries)

Week Eleven:

Nov. 12-16

Tuesday Nov. 13

HTW 131-157 (Part IV, Chap.. 8)
TNS: "Process Analysis" 163-168

"Razzleberry Lemonade" 169

"How to Fend of a Shark" 170-173

WFG:  pages 87-93 "The Process Theme"

5 readers should share their "Irony" Essays today

For those who read, hand in "Irony" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Nov. 15

Test # 3

SFHW 
TNS:  

5 readers should share their "Irony" Essays today

For those who read, hand in "Irony" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Twelve:

Nov. 19-23

Tuesday Nov. 19

SFHW: Part I, Section 5 pp 62-72 (How Do You Revise, Edit, and Proof Read?" a. "What Does Revising Involve?" "Revising Opening Paragraph" b. "What Does Editing Involv?" and Edited Sentences from Student Papers"

TNS:   "How Boys Become Men" pp. 174-178, "How to Write a Letter" 187-191 (Start Thinking about handing in a query letter for one of the essays you have written.

WM "Query Letter Clenic pp 20-26

For those who read, hand in "Sense of Place" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

 Thursday Nov. 22

*****Irony Essay Due!*****

SFHW: Part I, Section 5 pp 73-84 (What Does Poof reding Involve?" "How Do you Help Another Writer Revise, Edit and Proof read?" "Draft Peer Comments" 
TNS: "Who to Get Out of a Locked Trunk" 192-199 "A Modest Proposal" 362-372

WFG:  pages 93-97 "The Definition Theme"

WM "Query Letter Clinic" pp 27-33

For those who read, hand in "Irony" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Week Thirteen:

  Nov. 22 - 26

Tuesday Nov. 23

HTW 131-157 (Part IV, Chap.. 8)
TNS:  "Comparison and Contrast" 200-205. "Body Imperfect" 209-211 "Like Mexicans" 218-233

WFG: pages 98-106 "The Reportorial Theme"  

(Extra Makeup Test)

For those who read, hand in "Personal Choice" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Nov.  29  Thanksgiving

Week Fourteen:

 Nov. 30 -Dec. 2

Tuesday Nov. 30

SFHW: Part I, Section 6 pp 85-92  

TNS: : "Definition" 241-245, "Guys vs. Men" 246-253, "Bop" 265-268

"Cause and Effect" 276-283. "Who Killed Easter Island?" 295-302

HTW 158-172 (Part IV, Chap.. 9)

For those who read, hand in "Personal Choice" Rewrite plus an attached paragraph report of what you did.

Thursday Dec. 2

SFHW Part I, Section 6 pp 93-99 "One Student's Self Assessment" and "Your Rights and Responsibilities"

TNS "Argument" 314-321  "Declaration of Independence" 322-327. "The Island of Plenty" 328-333

Test # 4

Third and Last Journal Check (At least 26 Entries Expected--with the last being a closing comment about your impressions of this class.)

Week Fifteen:

Dec. 10-14

EXAM Week