Timothy L Pagaard: College composition and reading, English 120
Using course pages
English 098
English fundamentals
English 120
College compositiion
and reading
English 122
Introduction to literature
English 124
Advanced composition
English 135-138
Newspaper production
English 221 & 222
British literature I & II
English 231 & 232
American literature I & II
Class policies
"A sense of humor is
a measurement of the extent
to which we realize that we are trapped in a world almost totally devoid
of reason. Laughter is how we express the anxiety we feel at
this knowledge."
--Dave Barry
Fall 2009
Course overview
 |
This thing we call scholarship--what you came to college to do--is essentially a conversation, a global conversation to which scholars contribute. In English 120 you will develop your skills in the language and medium that English-speaking use as they egage in this conversation, "Standard Written Academic English." This course, if you take it seriously, can give you facility in the whole writing process. You'll gain both control and confidence. You'll also learn to read more effectively as you learn to understand the decisions writers make and the strategies they employ in approaching their work.
You'll learn to develop your thinking and to communicate the results to me and to the members of our class. Our unique workshop format will enhance and reinforce these skills in ways unavailable in conventional writing courses, as you craft and refine your writing with a small group, then present it to them publically.
go to Top | Overview | Materials
Syllabus
Syllabus
Schedule / chart form
Submission of assignments
Journal questions
The workshop-based composition course
go to Top | Overview | Syllabus
Materials
I strongly recommend that you print the following materials ahead of time and bring them to class. Class sessions when you will need such documents are marked W in the Schedule section of the Syllabus.
"Mondegreens: Of Cross-Eyed Bears and Falling Rocks"
MLA format
Evaluation/response form
Introduction to writing
Writers on writing
Avoiding sexist and racist language
The anatomy of an essay
1 Exemplification go to sample student essays
2 Process analysis go to samplestudent essays
3 Causal analysis go to sample student essays
4 Argumentation/persuasion go to sample student essays
Thinking logically about your argument
Library research
Evaluating Web sources
Using sources
Middle ground
5 Comparison/contrast go to sample student essays
Essay exams
One of the most artistic writers I've ever taught, Kazuaki
Uehara (at left
in photo), is also an actual portrait artist, working in the alla
prima mode--all at once, really fast. He sketched classmate
Miranda Whittlesey in just a few minutes.
Copyright Jef Mallet 2002. All rights reserved.
