ENG 043 - Writing: Paragraph to Essay

Sec. 3099, MW 4-5:21PM, Rm 1002

Instructor: Kevin Lamkins Office phone: 906-5213

Office: 1019 Home phone: (860) 560-9668

Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 1-2:30pm,

or by appointment

Email: klamkins@capitalcc.edu

Required books/readings:

- Focus on Writing 2nd

Edition by

Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R.

Mandell

- Assorted exercises, texts supplied by

professor or online, to be announced

- http://klamkins.wordpress.com

I will have course materials and

additional resources online. Please

bookmark or remember this web

address because we will use it

throughout the semester.

Intro to ENG 043:

One purpose of ENG 043 is for students to advance from writing simple paragraphs to well-

organized short essays. Another purpose is to prepare students for ENG 101 and the

expectations of college level writing.

ENG 043 is not a credit bearing class. You must successfully pass ENG 043 to move onto the 3-

credit ENG 101.

Goals for ENG 043 (from the Standardized Course Outline) Students will learn:

1. How to participate fully in class through regular, punctual attendance, individual and

group projects, and by having responsibility for their own work

2. A variety of language and prose writing by identifying and presenting clear main ideas in

writing, practicing varied paragraph and essay patterns, evaluating appropriate diction

and register, evaluating reliability and logic of observations in reading and writing texts

3. Organization and development of effective compositions by employing appropriate

strategies for prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing, composing coherent paragraphs,

supporting central ideas with specific details, composing organized essays with thesis,

introduction, body, and conclusion, and demonstrating control of key conventions of

standard written English.

4. Critical and global perspectives in writing by evaluating reliability of evidence in support

of main points, establishing tone and degree of objectivity appropriate to given purpose,

clarifying distinctions and relationships among ideas in compositions, providing context

for theses and explore their implications

Course Breakdown:

The course is composed of three units:

Unit 1 – The first unit will focus on essential concepts of college writing, from terms to know, to

prewriting techniques, to the writing process. We will work step-by-step through writing your

first essay.

Unit 2 – In the second unit, we will address common grammar and sentence errors and discuss

ways to catch these mistakes while you're writing. Also, we will learn how to write a

compare/contrast essay, a common type of college writing.

Unit 3 – We will discuss techniques for revising and fine-tuning your work. We will also look at

different types of writing to prepare you for ENG 101 and use of sources. There will be a final

in-class writing essay the date of the final exam.

Participation/attendance:

Class participation will be graded. You are expected to be present and prepared for all classes.

You must have all reading and writing homework assignments completed by the beginning of

class for them to be accepted. In class you are expected to discuss the assignments, ask

questions when you don’t understand something and always be helpful and respectful to other

students and the instructor. You must notify me ahead of time to receive an excused absence.

Assignments and Grade Breakdown:

- In-class writing, short assignments, quizzes, and participation (25%)

- Unit 1 Essay – Exemplification (25%)

- Unit 2 Essay – Compare and Contrast (25%)

- Unit 3 In-class writing assignment (25%)

- Extra credit – as assigned or student generated

I will offer opportunities to revise work for better grades. Some revisions will be built into the

course work, but you can revise just about any assignment on your own.

Please take advantage of the Writing Center, room 409, for additional help with your writing. If

you have special learning needs or difficulties that you feel I should know about, please meet

with me early in the semester.

ENG 043 Essential Terms to Know Glossary

Part 1:

Composition: _________________________________________________________________

Thesis: ______________________________________________________________________

Structure: ____________________________________________________________________

Prewriting: ___________________________________________________________________

Outline: ______________________________________________________________________

Drafting: _____________________________________________________________________

Revision/revising: ______________________________________________________________

Edit/editing: ___________________________________________________________________

Writing process: ________________________________________________________________

Summary: _____________________________________________________________________

Response: _____________________________________________________________________

Detail: ________________________________________________________________________

Specific: ______________________________________________________________________

Development: __________________________________________________________________

Essay: ________________________________________________________________________

Part 2:

Diction: ______________________________________________________________________

Analysis/analyze: _______________________________________________________________

Introduction: ___________________________________________________________________

Body: ________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion: ___________________________________________________________________

Coherence: ____________________________________________________________________

Clarity: _______________________________________________________________________

Organization: __________________________________________________________________

Evaluation/evaluate: _____________________________________________________________

Tone: ________________________________________________________________________

Audience: _____________________________________________________________________

Content: ______________________________________________________________________

Purpose: ______________________________________________________________________

Paraphrase: ____________________________________________________________________

Quotation: ____________________________________________________________________

ENG 043 Syllabus

Date: In-class work: Homework:

Wed. 8/29 Intro to the course, policies and goals. We will do a writing sample in class (who am I?).

Essentials terms to know, part 1

Mon. 9/3 Labor Day – College Closed

Wed. 9/5 Infosheet and email. You must have a working email address. Review terms to know part 1. Discuss grading rubric. Begin ENG 043 glossary.

Email me your contact information for my records

Mon. 9/10 Discuss the structure of writing: introduction, body, conclusion, thesis, topic sentences, transitions, etc. (FOW: 161)

Essential terms to know, part 2. Read “The Dog Ate My Disk, and Other Tales of Woe” (FOW: 689)

Wed. 9/12 Discuss the writing process: planning, organizing, drafting, revising and editing. (FOW: 3-27); discuss “The Dog Ate…” and begin response. (FOW: 632)

Write a summary/response paragraph (bring 2 copies).

Mon. 9/17 “The Dog Ate My Disk…” paragraphs due. Peer review. Review essential terms to know, part 2. Update ENG043 glossary (do no lose this!); discuss prewriting techniques and audience (content, vocabulary and tone, FOW: 5-13)

Read “Impounded Fathers” (FOW: 708)

Wed. 9/19 Discuss “Impounded Fathers” Who is the audience? How do you know? How would the article be written for another audience? Discuss topic sentences, exercises in class, apply to your first paragraph. (FOW: 14-17)

Read pages 50-55 Write a summary/response to “Impounded Fathers” (bring 2 copies)

Mon. 9/24 “Impounded Fathers” paragraphs due. Peer review. Discuss paragraph development, part 1, TESTing your paragraphs (FOW: 29+). Introduction to the Unit 1 Essay – Exemplification using summary and reflection (p.207). Begin introductory paragraphs in class.

Read “Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale” (FOW: 636)

Wed. 9/26 Discuss purposes for writing, exercises in class – identifying purpose (from text and image, FOW: 167), creating a purpose – examine your introduction draft. Is the purpose clear? Discuss “Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale”

Write a summary/response to “Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale” (p. 636) (Bring 2 copies)

Mon. 10/1 “Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale” paragraphs due. Peer review. Discussing ordering of details in paragraphs – how to organize. How does the author organize information in the article? Think about your own essay draft. What is the best way to organize it so that it shows your purpose?

Wed. 10/3 Discuss fragments, comma splices, run-ons (FOW: 354, 370) using the three step test of sentence completeness. Discuss dependent words, exercises in class. Address any further questions about Unit 1 Essay.

Unit 1 Essay complete draft

Mon. 10/8 Unit 1 complete drafts due. Peer reviews in class.

Peer reviews will count toward your Unit 1 Essay grade.

Wed. 10/10 Begin Unit 2. Read “My Two Lives” (FOW: 674) in

class and discuss. Think about tone, purpose, audience, vocabulary, etc.

Write a list of responses to “My Two Lives.” Include at least 4 main points.

Mon. 10/15 “My Two Lives” list due. Discuss coordination and subordination (FOW: 277, 297) – forming compound and complex sentences to enhance your writing, FANBOYS, etc. (FOW: 262-307) Exercises in class.

Read “An American in Mexico” (FOW: 650).

Wed. 10/17 Unit 1 final drafts due! Discuss “An American in Mexico.” Think about tone, purpose, audience, vocabulary, etc. How are the articles similar to or different than each other? Anchor Assignment (FOW: 632).

Write Anchor Assignment in response to your choice of Unit 2 readings. Include at least 4 main points.

Mon. 10/22 Anchor assignment due. Discuss paragraph to essay – essay form, finding a topic, main ideas, thesis statements (FOW: 160-180). Apply to Unit 2 readings.

Get caught up!

Wed. 10/24 Brief review – fragments, comma splices, run-ons, 3 step test, thesis, etc. Discuss paragraph to essay (part 2) – introduction and conclusion (FOW: 194).

Read FOW: 106-119

Mon. 10/29 Discuss comparison/contrast essay (FOW: 106, 235), point by point, exercises in class – breaking down the topic into points of similarity and difference. Apply to Unit 2 articles, “The Company Man” and “At the Heart of a Historic Movement.”

Write down at least 4 points or comparison or contrast.

Wed. 10/31 In class writing workshop: using your response paragraphs and points of comparison/contrast, begin your Unit 2 essay. Start with prewriting – brainstorming, fastwriting, outlining (FOW: 176-178). Think about your tone, order of details, etc.

Write an outline: compare/contrast the two articles. Have at least three main points. Be as detailed as possible.

Mon. 11/5 Unit 2 outline due. Peer review of outlines. Continue drafting your introduction and thesis. Think about your conclusion – what's your assessment of the two articles? Use specific examples from the texts.

Begin Unit 2 essay.

Wed. 11/7 Grammar and sentence errors revisited. We'll also talk about using transitions (FOW: 40, 283) to help your essay flow. Create the Criteria.

Finish Unit 2 essay

Mon. 11/12 Workshop day

Wed. 11/14 Unit 2 compare/contrast essays due. Begin Unit 3 – preparing for ENG 101: rhetorical situations, patterns of organization, part 1

Skim FOW: 94-105, 122-151

Mon. 11/19 Rhetorical situations, patterns of organization, part 2. Extra credit essay: write a short editorial on a controversial issue.

11/21- 11/25

Thanksgiving Break – College Closed

Mon. 11/26 Revising an essay (FOW: 182+), the importance of drafts, revising for content and organization, editing for grammar, punctuation and spelling. In class, reading workshop. Pairs recommend a reading for Unit 3.

Read FOW: 182-193

Wed. 11/28 Use of sources, part 1: quoting and paraphrasing (FOW: 728). When should you use a direct quote? When should you paraphrase? We'll discuss how to paraphrase well. Discuss TBA

Double entry journal – quoting and paraphrasing.

Mon. 12/3 Double entry journals due. Use of sources, part 2: documentation (FOW: 736). Why cite? How to cite your sources in-text and in your works cited page. Groups make Works Cited pages in class.

Final works cited page for your Unit 3 project: include all the articles from the textbook and handouts.

Wed. 12/5 Works cited pages due. Discuss critical thinking and writing. Catch-up day. In class we'll play ENG 043 Jeopardy!

Mon. 12/10 Last day of class – review for the final.

Mon. 12/17

Final in-class writing assignment, 3:30-5:30PM PLEASE NOTE THE TIME DIFFERENCE!

Scoring Rubric for Written Assignments

Score Purpose & Audience Organization Development Language

6

Superior

Takes ownership of

purpose, uses assignment

to explore topic’s

intrinsic interest, shows

full understanding of

issues, engages audience,

uses format to enhance

clarity

Focuses consistently on

clearly expressed central

idea, establishes strong

unity and coherence

among ideas, guides

readers smoothly with

paragraph structure and

transitions, opens and

closes with strength

Explores ideas

vigorously, supports

points fully, balances

general and specific

skillfully, chooses

evidence (subjective or

objective)

appropriately, reasons

persuasively making

useful distinctions

Employs words with

fluency, develops concise

standard English

sentences, balances a

variety of sentence

structures effectively,

conveys lively consistent

voice

5

Collegiate

Address purpose

effectively, manages

assignment skillfully,

shows good

understanding of issues ,

establishes credibility,

uses appropriate format

and style

Clear central idea is

steady and supported by

paragraph progression,

unity and coherence are

evident, paragraph

structures and

transitions are

competent, opens and

closes effectively

Supports all key ideas

with examples and

details, finds suitable

levels of generality and

of subjectivity, makes

logical connections and

clear distinctions

Word forms are correct,

sentence structure is

effective, applies

conventions of standard

English, presence of a

few errors is not

distracting

4

In

Progress

Establishes and adheres

to purpose, fulfils

assignment, shows basic

understanding of key

issues, style steady,

format mostly correct

Establishes central idea,

paragraph structures

adequate to convey

continuity among ideas,

opening and closing

devices sufficient to

frame essay

Supports some ideas

with examples and

details, shows some

ability to choose among

levels of generality and

subjectivity, clarifies

some distinctions

Word forms are mostly

correct, sentence

structure adequate for

clarity, few areas of

usage deviations, errors

minimally distracting

3

Essential

Purpose clear, mostly

fulfils assignment, shows

need for more study of

issues, style varies,

format or visual

presentation ragged

Central idea present but

wavering, unsteady use

of paragraph structures,

problems with

consistency or

progression of ideas

Supports some

generalizations with

details, instability in

levels of subjectivity,

distinctions and

reasoning only implied

or tangled

Word forms and sentence

structures are adequate to

convey basic meaning,

errors cause noticeable

distraction

2

Basic

Purpose partly clear,

incompletely address

topic or directions, grasp

of issues minimal,

inappropriate style,

careless visual

presentation

Central idea is

identifiable, some

repetition or digression,

weak paragraph

structures, tangled

progression of ideas

Presents ideas in

general terms, support

for ideas unsuitably

personal or distant,

distinctions need

clarification, reasoning

unclear

Word forms and sentence

structures are unreliable,

meaning sometimes

unclear, errors seriously

distracting

1

Entry

Purpose unclear, failure

to address topic or

directions, weak grasp of

issues, visual

presentation poor

No central idea, no clear

logic or focus, many

repetitions or

digressions, lack of

evident structure

Most ideas are

unsupported, confusion

between personal and

external evidence, lack

of needed distinctions,

reasoning flawed

Word use is unclear,

sentence structures

inadequate for clarity,

errors obscure meaning

LEARNING

OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT METHODS

To demonstrate an

understanding of

Student will As measured by

1.How to participate fully in class a) attend regularly and on time

b) complete individual and

classroom projects

c) take responsibility for

knowing, completing, and (where

necessary) making up

assignments.

• attendance records

• classwork

• assignment records

2. A variety of language and

prose writing a) identify and present clear main

ideas in writing

b) analyze and practice varied

paragraph and essay patterns

c) evaluate and apply appropriate

diction and register in writing for

various purposes

d) evaluate reliability and logic of

observations in reading texts and

in writing them

• writing assignments

• quizzes, tests,

• discussion records

3. Organization and development

of effective compositions a) employ appropriate strategies

for prewriting, drafting, revising,

and editing

b) compose coherent paragraphs,

supporting central ideas with

specific details

c) compose organized essays:

thesis, introduction, body,

conclusion

d) demonstrate control of key

conventions of standard written

English..

• several revised paragraphs

• at least two fully revised essays

• peer editing

• tests

4.Critical and global perspectives

in writing a) evaluate reliability of evidence

in support of main points

b) establish tone and degree of

objectivity appropriate to given

purpose

c) clarify distinctions and

relationships among ideas in

compositions

d) provide context for theses and

explore their implications

• discussion records

• compositions

• tests

ENG 043 Unit 1 Essay – Exemplification

Revising your summary/response paragraphs, compose an essay showing how each is an

example of a general statement or theme. Some themes may include dealing with conflict, life

lessons, responsibility, arguments, etc. See Focus on Writing (p. 51 and 207) for more

information.

Apply the concepts that we’ve discussed so far in the class: structure, thesis, topic sentences,

audience, tone, paragraph development and purpose. Your purpose is to inform and your

audience is a general, college reader. You should revise the paragraphs you’ve already written

by addressing my comments. Be sure that your topic sentences connect each body paragraph to

your thesis. For additional help, please see a tutor in the Writing Center (room 409).

Grading is based on the six-level English rubric. Contained within each category are the specific

grading criteria for this assignment:

Purpose and audience:

- a clear thesis that shows your purpose – state a general idea and who that you will use the

three texts as examples of that idea.

- tone and diction that are appropriate for a college level audience

Organization:

- an introduction that provides some background and mentions the specific articles you will

use in the essay

- clear topic sentences that create coherence in the essay

- a conclusion that sums up the main points of your essay

Development:

- sufficient summaries (main idea and key supporting details) and detailed responses to the

readings

Language:

- good revisions of your first complete draft, addressing grammar, spelling and sentence

structure.

Other:

- mandatory peer review which is specific and helpful to your classmate

Each category is worth 5 points for a total of 25 points. Your letter grade will be determined by

dividing the number of points you receive by 25, for example 20 points out of 25 equals 80 B-.

Other requirements:

Essays must be typed, double spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font. They should be

revised and proofread. This essay is worth 25% of your overall grade for the course, so I expect

that it will represent your best work and your most professional presentation.

ENG 043 – Unit 2 Essay Compare/Contrast

Based on the Unit 2 readings, write a compare/contrast essay. The essay should be written using

point by point organization (Focus on Writing, p. 109, 237), with at least three body paragraphs.

The essay should be a combination of similarities and differences, not just one or the other.

Please use the following guidelines when writing this essay:

o You should feel free to compare/contrast the content of the essays, as well as the writers

and their style, tone, audience, purpose, etc.

o Your introduction should include some background information. For example, you

should give a sentence or two that summarizes each of the readings, or indicates the each

author’s purpose or argument. You should also state the points of comparison and

contrast.

o A clear thesis for a compare/contrast essay should do several things: 1. show the two

subjects that you are comparing/contrasting, 2. indicate that you will discuss both

similarities and differences, and 3. (optional) include your points. Your points can also

be stated separately.

o Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the point of

comparison or contrast discussed in that paragraph. Then, be sure to discuss details from

each of the articles that support this topic sentence. Also, I’d like you to include a brief

response, your perspective on this particular point.

o Your conclusion should restate your thesis and give any final thoughts you have about the

articles. You can make a final argument or recommendation. Avoid dead language like

“in conclusion” or “in summary.”

This essay is worth 25% of your final course grade. Please remember that tutors are available at

the Writing Center, room 409, if you want additional feedback. See me if you have any further

questions.

As a class, we will determine what the specific grading criteria are for this essay.

ENG 043 Lamkins – Fall 2012

Section/CRN: 3099

Name: _____________________________

Nickname: _________________________

Major:_____________________________

Student ID#: ________________________

Phone #: ___________________________

Email: _____________________________

Do you have a job outside of school? ____

Is English your second language? ____ If so, what is your first language: ____________

Other info I should know (special needs, learning difficulties, weak points in writing):

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Describe your experience(s) with writing? Good? Bad? What kind of writing have you done?

What have you enjoyed, despised? Be honest!

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Who are you?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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