ENGL 101-02 (Spring 2002) List of Assignments

Your goal should be to write clear, correct prose in a unified, coherent paper of at least 750 words. All assignments therefore require papers of at least 750 words; unless otherwise noted, write for an audience of your instructor and your classmates.

Assignment #1 (narrative; personal experience) Relate a memorable event. Include enough detail to let us (i.e., your classmates and me) see and hear the sights and sounds of the event.

Assignment #2 (description) Describe a person or place we (your audience) might find interesting. Again, use details to paint a vivid mental picture of the person or place.

Assignment #3 (analysis) Do any ONE of the following with respect to the editorials handed out in class, keeping in mind that your analysis should include the main idea of the editorial, the key points that support that main idea, the kinds of arguments used, and the general structure of the argument:

• Analyze the Jim Ritchie editorial
• Analyze the Arthur Ravenel, Jr editoral
• Show how one of the editorials is likely to be more effective for its audience than the other

Assignment #4 (reflection) Write an informal piece to introduce me to your midterm portfolio. (The portfolio will include any two of the first three assignments.) Explain why you selected the two pieces--or why you chose not to include the other one--then tell me in some detail about each of those pieces: how you selected the topic, how you wrote the first draft, what kinds of challenges or problems you faced when writing the first draft, how you revised it (to include outside help such as from the Writing Center), and what you like and don't like about the polished draft. (Remember, one of these pieces will show up again, revised, in the final portfolio.)

Midterm Portfolio (due March 6) In the left pocket of a two-pocket folder, put the early drafts of the first three assignments (including the drafts on which I wrote comments), plus any drafts any intermediate drafts. In the right pocket, put the reflective piece (Assignment #4), followed by polished drafts of two of the first three assignments. All three pieces in the right pocket should be unified and coherent, written in clear, correct prose.

Assignment #5 (persuasion) For Assignment #3 you read and analyzed a persuasive piece; for Assignment #5 you will write one. Select a topic about which you care--or at least about which you have an opinion--and write a paper of at least 600 words in which you try to persuade me and your classmates to accept your position or recommendation. (Note: If we already agree with your position, there's no need to persuade us. Don't try to persuade us that "crime is bad" or "education is good" or even that "most cadets don't understand Corps squad." Choose a topic on which we are likely to be neutral--perhaps because we haven't ever considered the topic--or on which we are likely to disagree with your position.) Be sure to include the following elements: an explanation of the issues, a reason we should care about the issue, a clear statement of your position, reasons to support your position, and reasons NOT to accept opposing views. You will probably need to do some research to find evidence that supports your position.

Assignment #6 (analysis) For Assignment #3, you analyzed a piece I selected; for this assignment, you will analyze a piece of your own choosing. Select a full-page editorial from a recent magazine (i.e., anything published this year), then write an analysis of at leas 600 words in which you explain the point of the piece, the apparent audience, and how the author tries to persuade the audience to accept his or her position. Remember, your goal is not simply to summarize the piece--to tell me what it says--but rather to explain how the author tries to accomplish the goal. (How is the argument constructed? To what extent does the author appeal to emotion? to logic? What does the author expect the audience to know in advance? How does the author educate the audience on new information?) Be sure to make a single, major claim--a thesis statement--in your analysis of the piece.

Assignment #7 (research; exposition) For your final "regular" paper, you will research a common topic--common, that is, to the whole class--and report on your findings. Within the general topic selected by the class, you will narrow your area of focus, find something worth writing about (such as the answer to a question), and report your findings to me and the rest of the class members. You may (and are encouraged to) share sources with classmates, but you should have your own thesis--your own focus. Your paper should state a thesis, support that thesis with evidence, and cite (i.e., quote) a variety of sources. Follow MLA guidelines for citing sources; include a "Works Cited" list. (The "Works Cited" list does NOT count toward the 750-word minimum.)

Assignment #8 (reflection) Select three final drafts to include in the right-hand pocket of your final portfolio: one from among numbers 1, 2 and 3; two from numbers 5, 6 and 7. Write me a piece--it can be in letter format or essay format--in which you describe those three pieces: why you selected them as your best work, how you decided on the topics, how you wrote the initial drafts, how you revised them, and what you see as the strengths. Keeping in mind that your portfolio must demonstrate your ability to write "clear correct prose" in "unified, coherent papers," explain to me how your portfolio demonstrates such ability. If you have turned in late or incomplete drafts, your portfolio grade will suffer accordingly. If you want to make a case that any such occurrences should be forgiven because of extenuating circumstances, Assignment #8 is the place to do so.

Final Portfolio (due April 27) In the left pocket of a two-pocket folder, put the early drafts of all eight assignments (including the drafts on which I wrote comments), plus any intermediate drafts. In the right pocket, put one draft from the early group (1, 2, 3) and two drafts from the second group (5, 6, 7), plus the cover piece (8). I will insert your final exam later. All pieces in the right pocket should be unified and coherent, written in clear, correct prose.

Final Exam (Thursday, May 2, 1300 hours, Bond 251) Write a unified, coherent paper of at least 500 words, written in clear, correct prose, describing any ONE of the people or places listed below. You have up to three hours to complete the paper. I will insert the final exam as the last paper in your final portfolio.

Looking Back By the time you complete this course, you will have written expository, narrative, descriptive, analytical, persuasive, and reflective papers. You will have written multiple drafts of most papers, but you will also have completed an in-class, one-draft paper. You will have practiced using research and citing sources in at least one paper. You will have written about other people's texts and you will have written about what you already know. To the extent that you have achieved the goal of producing unified, coherent papers using clear, correct prose in these various genres, you will be prepared to move on to ENGL 102. Good luck in your next English class!

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