writing.markfullmer.com

In class: We'll review the syllabus and discuss the ins and outs of writing about yourself. We'll determine what you want to learn this semester, and review description, scene, dialogue, plot, tense, resolution, and showing versus telling. We'll visit the 611 computer lab to try freewriting/brainstorming exercises.
Before next class:
• Create an account at writing.markfullmer.com, including your 150-300 word bio. Here's a tutorial on how to do it.
• Take the syllabus quiz on our website. It's easy. Trust me.
• Read An Embarrassing Mishap, The 80s Ride, & Mike and the Bee
• Post a comment below one of those 3 essays, describing what you liked, didn't like, and learned from it.
• Post the first draft of your researched meditation (1000-1500 words). Know that on the first draft I'm not worried so much about grammar or structure--instead I want you to focus on letting your ideas flow freely. The draft does, however, need to be at least 1000 words (1500 is better).
• Bring 1 printout of your first draft to class next week.
• Read pages 294-309 on generating ideas

In class: We'll discuss the drafting process and the concept of "shitty first drafts." We'll also do a brief grammar review. Bring 1 printout of your current draft of the Researched Meditation to class for peer-reading workshop. As a way to earn extra credit, volunteer your essay to be workshopped, and if yours is picked, we'll read it to the class and get their feedback. You'll get 1% extra credit added to your final grade). We’ll also collaboratively determine what an “A” paper should be.
Before next class:
• Visit the Meditations page, find a classmate's draft that has not been commented on, read it, and leave feedback. You need to point out at least 1 thing that is working well and 1 thing that could be improved.
• Watch this demonstration of revising a meditative essay.
• Revise your own meditative essay, using guidelines from The Bedford Guide pp. 371-86
• Take grammar quiz #1
• Post the final essay of your researched meditation (remember that part of your grade comes not simply from the final product, but how well you've revised and experimented with different approaches between 1st & final draft).

In class: We'll begin discussing the Think Again essay, determine the grading rubric, and discuss structuring essays. We'll go to the 611 computer lab, and I'll teach you how to research efficiently and introduce you to the online databases.
Before next class:
• Post, as a comment on your first essay, a 300-500 word reflection on writing the first paper. Explain how you got ideas, how research broadened those ideas, what was hard about writing, where you were when you wrote, what you did when you wrote, what you changed between first and second drafts, and what you might want to try for future writing.
• Read Do Women Settle? and Why Can't You Say That?
• Spend some time wandering around the online databases, find a scholarly article on one of the Think Again essay topics, and post this resource to our website.
• Read "A Part-Time Marriage" (494), "I Want a Wife" (497) and "How Computers Change the Way We Think" (552) and "Perhaps We should Move to Save Dogs from Their Owners" (48)

**Bring Your Stuffed Animal To Class Day**
In class: We'll talk about proper paraphrase and quotation. We'll also discuss how to write essays under time constraints, a skill you'll have to employ in future college settings (and beyond)
Before next class:
• Post the first draft of your Think Again essay (1500-2000 words). Make sure to include a variety of scholarly research, but also just let your ideas wander.
• Take the Integrating Sources quiz
• To better understand forming a solution in writing, read The Bedford Guide pp. 173-82
• Visit the Think Again page, find a classmate's draft that has not been commented on, read it, and leave feedback.
• For more information on writing under time limits, read The Bedford Guide pp. 277-86
• Take the Midterm exam

In class: We'll begin discussing the Cheating essay, exploring ethical dilemmas and classical argument and Rogerian argument; we'll also collaboratively determine the criteria for an "A" paper on the Think Again essay and do another grammar review. We'll discuss the concept of framing arguments, using Kahneman and Tversky's famous study, and explore ethos, logos, and pathos. Finally, we'll understand argument better using a mini-debate class.
Before next class:
• Post the final draft of your Think Again essay.
• To review grammar, read The Bedford Guide Appendix H-10, H-61, H-116, and H-120
• Take Grammar Quiz #2
• Read 35% of Teens Admit to Using Cell Phones to Cheat, Students and Performance Enhancing Drugs, A Cheating Crisis in American Schools • If you want to review fundamental ideas of argument, read The Bedford Guide pp.40-47 and 148-165.
• Find and post 1 good scholarly resource on cheating and/or the American education system

In class: We'll review what to avoid in argument--tricky ways of persuasion that don't hold up in academic writing. In the 611 computer lab we'll do a revising workshop. We'll begin discussing the Web Writing Tutorial, examining how people read differently when reading online, and we'll define web layout conventions, scannable text, paragraph length, headers, hyperlinks, and graphics.
Before next class:
• Post the first draft of your Cheating Essay (1500-2000 words).
• Take Persuasion & Argument quiz
• Take the Revision Tricks quiz
• Visit the Cheating essay page, find a classmate's draft that has not been commented on, read it, and leave feedback.

We won't meet in-person again for a month, and that meeting will be our last of the year. Here are specific guidelines for what's expected & how you'll be successful during the hiatus.
In class: We'll review what we talked about for web writing & make sure you know what I'm expecting in that assignment. We'll spend most of class discussing the final essay of the semester, the film analysis.

Suggested timeline

Week 1:
• By Wednesday, 11/18, Mark will post feedback to the first draft of your cheating essay.
By Nov 27th, post the final draft of your Cheating essay.
Take the eWriting quiz
• Read about strategies for understanding visual representations (419-432)
• Read "MySpace or OurSpace?" (546)
• Read about introductions & conclusions
• Read about thesis statements
Take the Thesis Statement quiz
By Dec 5th, spend some time wandering around the online databases, find a scholarly article on either film or American culture related to your film, and post this resource to our website.
By Dec 12th (our next class), post the first draft of your film analysis. You can expect feedback from me by the 15th, and the final draft will be due on the 20th.

• For our last class, we're going to have a show-and-tell. Bring something that communicates meaning in a way that words cannot. You might bring a photograph that has meaning to you, or a souvenir, or artwork you've done, or a song. Your job will be to explain to class how things other than words can express information.

In class: We'll do an intensive review of all the concepts we've covered and make sure you're on track to completing all the work for this course. We'll also review timed writing for the final exam.
Before the end of the semester:
All work must be completed by December 20th to receive credit
• To better understand workplace writing, read The Bedford Guide pp. 263-75
• Take Grammar Quiz #3
• Post the final draft of your Film Analysis.
• Post the final draft of your eWriting Adaptation (attach the file to the post)
• Take the final exam (available between the 15th and 19th)
• Look over this checklist to make sure you've done all the required work for the course