91¶ÌÊÓƵ

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Intermediate College Writing

Syllabus

 

You will receive regular in-class and take-home assignments which we will review and edit in classroom workshops or discussion groups, and you will be asked to bring in exercises, outlines, research progress reports, and drafts of essays in progress. I will ask you as well to respond to various essays and films (visual texts, if you will) in terms of their contents and their strategies of presentation and persuasion, etc. I have conceived the syllabus to be open-ended and flexible to accommodate your changing needs as developing writers of argumentative prose and research essays. Commonly, I will announce at the end of each class the assignment for the next session(s) and the due dates for notebook entries and first and final drafts. I will then, on occasion, also provide you with handouts that accompany and specify assignments. Nevertheless, here is a provisional overview of the course.

 

Week 1 – 2

General Introduction — Argumentative/Persuasive Writing

  • Introduction to 2010
  • Ha Jin, A Good Fall — writing assignments TBA on a day-to-day basis
Week 2–4 (or 3–5)

Argumentative/Persuasive Writing Ctd.

  • A Good Fall
  • Library Research Session, TBA, meet in Room #106 in the Library
  • Group/Individual Conferences
  • Revision Workshop & Editing Groups
  • Assignment 1
  • Student Samples
*** Argumentative/Persuasive Paper (#1) Due ***
Week 5–8 (or 6–10)

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma
Please note: depending on our time, we may need to make adjustments to our reading

Week 5–9 (or 6–10)

Research and Persuasion: Our Food Supply
Viewing Recommendation: Robert Kenner, (2008)

  • “Our National Eating Disorder" + “The Plant: Corn’s Conquest"
  • “The Farm" + “The Elevator"
  • “The Feedlot: Making Meat" + “The Processing Plant: Making Complex Foods"
  • “The Consumer: A Republic of Fat" + “The Meal: Fast Food"
  • “All Flesh is Grass" + “Big Organic"
  • “The Animals: Practicing Complexity" + “Slaughter: In a Glass Abattoir"
  • “The Market: Greetings from the Non-Barcode People" + “The Meal: Grass-Fed"
  • “The Forager" + “The Omnivore’s Dilemma"
  • “The Ethics of Eating Animals"
  • “Hunting: The Meat"
  • “The Perfect Meal"
  • Week 9 [or 10]
  • Revision Workshop & Editing Groups
  • Group/Individual Conferences
  • Assignment 2
*** Food Research Paper (#2) Due ***
Week 10–14 (or 11–15) Research and Argument on Film
Week 10–13

What can I write about and research on film?

Week 13–14

Finishing Up

  • Revision Workshop & Editing Groups
  • Group/Individual Conferences
  • Assignment 3
Final Exam, as per course schedule booklet
Below please find select useful websites on our 2010 focus topic. This is a collection in the process, as every site must be. Please stay tuned! :)
*** Film Research Paper (#3) Due ***
*** Global Revision/Rewrite Due ***

Concluding Note

 

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. My door is always open (and if not, please knock; I will answer if I am there). Please don't hesitate to stop by during my office hours or to make an appointment, if you're having trouble getting started or want to talk about your ideas or progress.

As well, please feel free to use my electronic address to communicate with me.

Let's Connect!


mwutz@weber.eduPhone  801-626-7011
Skype  michaelwutz007

LebenslaufCurriculum Vitae
Weber – The Contemporary West

Mailing Address

 

Michael Wutz, Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor
Editor, Weber - The Contemporary West
Department of English, 1404 University Circle
91¶ÌÊÓƵ
Ogden, UT 84404-1404 USA