Sophomore English Composition, Fall Term 2012,
Prof. Kirill Thompson 唐格理

This is a course in English rhetoric. It is the basic writing course for university students in the US and the UK. In the first semester, we focus on pre-writing strategies (finding topics, outlines, contents, drafting, etc.). Then, we introduce and practice several strategies for organizing essays.
Rules: 1) Submit your compositions on time. Points will be deducted for lateness; papers will be accepted only during the month they were assigned. Students present their work and share ideas in class, so 2) class attendance and participation are required.
There will be one assignment per week, a composition or writing exercises. During the first part of each class, students will present the main points of their composition (4-5 minutes). Keep in mind that writing is for communicating; hence, clear sentences, logical organization and clear message are important.
3) Plagiarism will result in dismissal from the class and the grade “0”.

Tentative Syllabus
October 8. Introduce class. Present paper on your summer vacation. & summarize key ideas for your “Who am I ?” paper. Discuss, chs. 1-2: “Ethics in Writing” and “Finding Subjects.” Assignment for Oct 15: p. 18, discussion question 1, “What change do you want to make in your life?”
October 15. Present the changes you want to make in class. Ch. 3: “The Writer’s Stance.” Assignment, due Oct 22: write reply letter to Roberts’ letter on p. 35, discussion question 1. To present on Oct 29.
October 22. See “Before Sunrise” (See pp. 26-29 in our text). Assignment due Oct 29: Write about the theme of “learning through and for friendship (love) and life.”
October 29. Present compositions on “Before Sunrise” and your letter to Roberts.
November 5: Ch. 4, “Thesis.” Assignment due Nov 19: Write 1) a thesis statement and 2) a composition on a topic from p. 49, # 2 or #3.
November 12: **I will be away at a conference.
November 19: Discuss your thesis statements and papers. Ch. 5. “Shaping and Outlining.” Choose one old comp (can be from Freshman Comp.): improve its shape and outline, and rewrite it (due Nov 26).
November 26: Present revised compositions. Chs. 8-9, “Organizing Paragraphs” and “Introductions and Conclusions.” Write a composition on a topic from p. 110, # 1, 2, or 3; due on Dec 1. Good organization.
December 1: Present compositions. Ch. 11, “Description.” Write a composition based on topics after “Snowbound” ; due on Dec 8.
December 8: Present compositions. Ch. 12, “Narration.” Write a composition based on topics after “Footloose” (see back of book) or on “To Rage Against the Dark”
December 17: “Leaving the Family Farm,” topics on p. 215, due Dec 25.
December 25: Present your compositions. Ch. 13, “Process.” Write a composition on a topic from p. 227, due on Jan 7.
December 31: holiday
January 7: “Before Sunset.” Write a composition due January 14.


Assignment for October 15:

Let us assume that you want something to be changed in your life. This change may involve a better bicycle, a different class schedule, more spending money, more convenient shops in your neighborhood, a more polite boyfriend, etc.

Use some of the methods given in the book to find ideas: brainstorming, freewriting, keeping a journal, looking around yourself, surprising yourself, reading up, hooking an idea….

For class discussion:

a. What change do you want to make?
b. How did you decide on this change?
c. What steps can you take to make this change?

After class, write the corresponding paper adopting comments or suggestions from your classmates.