Everyday Writer - Bedford, Freeman & Worth College Publishing ...

Sample Syllabus for Ten-Week Quarter
Sample Syllabi 5
Structure of the Course
One of the best ways to learn to write is by writing, and for that reason
students in this course will be asked to do a lot of inventing, drafting, and
revising — that’s what writing is. Sharing work with others, either in peerresponse
sessions, writing groups, or col laborative efforts, promotes
learning about writing by widening the response writers get to their work.
Finally, texts can help in learning to write by answering questions students
may have or suggesting ways of going about the business of writing.
Because each of these three principles operates powerfully in the classroom,
they form the basis of the course schedule outlined below. To provide
practice writing and sharing those writings, often the class will be
devoted to writing workshops. These writing workshops give students the
chance to see how other students have handled writing assignments, to
practice editing skills by helping other students edit their own work, and
to draft essays. Many class days will involve a class discussion of a student
essay that demonstrates how the writing being done might best be
handled. In addition, many classes will open with a short writing assignment,
freewrite, or writing-log entry. Each week we will read sections
from The Everyday Writer that address issues about writing, guide us in
our understanding of those issues, and suggest ways for us to broaden
our knowledge and apply that knowledge to our writing.
Written Assignments
Students write four essays during the term. An acceptable draft of each
essay must be turned in by the final due date for each essay. At any time
during the term, a final grade may be assigned to the draft that each student
judges to be his or her final effort on each essay. At least one week before
the end of the term, students turn in three of four final drafts for final evaluation.
Before the last day of classes, students turn in the fourth essay for
a final grade. All final drafts must be typed or computer-generated.
Since students can suspend final evaluation of their progress until the
end of the semester, this grading system provides them with the opportunity
to have their best work evaluated.
Attendance
Because much of each student’s most im portant work will take place in
class, attendance in class should be mandatory. (Warn chronically late
students once; after that, count each late appearance as an absence.)