ENGLISH 110L

Winter 2003

Benjamin Vogt
vogt.39@osu.edu
Office: Denney (DE) 513
Hours: M/W 2:00-3:30
292-1730 (during hours only)
Mailbox in DE 421, below name

Class: M/W 3:30-5:18 Denney 202

This is foremost a course on becoming effective collegiate writers. Through essay writing and drafting, peer critiques, and brief oral presentations, you will become confident in the use of language in a multitude of settings. Although this is a composition course, strong emphasis will be placed on reading as a conduit for becoming effective writers--only by becoming a better reader will you become a better writer (reading as a writer). We will explore fiction, poetry, and literary non-fiction, and use our critical responses as jumping off points into your own writing. This will be an intensive reading course and participation is expected, both in class and out--i.e. reader responses. All of the essays will require detailed and extensive research, effective organization, descriptive language, and a love for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Texts
Tim O'Brien: In the Lake of the Woods
Elizabeth Bishop: The Complete Poems
Peter Mayle: A Year in Provence
John Trimble: Writing With Style, 2nd ed.
The Benjamin Vogt Website. Online. http://people.english.ohio-state.edu/vogt.39

All books available at SBX

The Percentages
20% -- Essay 1
20% -- Essay 2
20% -- Essay 3
20% -- Participation (in workshops and class, discussion leading 5%, attendance)
10% -- Daily Reading Quizzes
10% -- Final Essay

Policies
Attendance is a vital part to your success as a writer and to the success of your peers. Each unexcused absence after 2 will result in the lowering of the final course grade by one full letter grade, 4 unexcused absences is course failure. Documented excused absences such as personal illness, family illness/tragedy, religious observance or collegiate athletic events will not affect your grade. It is your responsibility to notify me promptly in any event.
Tardiness: Any student who is not present when roll is called will be counted as absent.

All work must be completed and handed in at the beginning of class on the date due.
All Essay Drafts: -1 full letter grade each day late, no email submissions. -1/3 letter grade for papers that do not specifically follow the guidelines of the prompt (take pride in your work). You will have the opportunity to draft each paper twice while receiving peer and instructor feedback. The second draft will receive a final grade.
Discussion Leading: -5% participation grade if not fully prepared. You only go twice, make them count. More to come on this in class and on website.
Workshop Comments: 250 word write-up on each group member's work. Late or missing comments will drop the participation grade by 5%. More to come on this as well.

Plagiarism: is the unauthorized use of the words or ideas of another person. It is described on-line in the Writer's Companion. Please read this carefully, and be aware of citing ALL sources in your essay according to the MLA style.

Resources
1) Ombud: serves as an intermediary who helps resolve conflict between 110/367 students and instructors. The ombud for spring quarter is Matthew Cariello. His hours will be 12-3pm Monday-Thursday. Office is located in Denney 533 @ 292-5778 or email cariello.1@osu.edu.

2) OSU Writing Center: provides free professional writing consultation. You must set up an appointment beforehand, or call anytime for availability at 688-5865. The center is located in 485 Mendenhall Laboratories (main oval) and I encourage you to use them.

3) Disability Services: is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, 292-3307, and offers a variety
of services for students and teachers with disabilities.
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All Assignments are listed on the date due -- I will give you proper notice of any changes

JANUARY

Monday 6
Introduction
First day writing

Wednesday 8
Lake: Chapters 1-10
Style: Chapters 1-2
Conference sign ups
Presentation sign ups

Monday 13
Conferences this week
Lake: 11-19
Style: 3-5, 9

Wednesday 15
Conferences this week
Lake: 20-31
Style: 7

Monday 20
NO CLASS

Wednesday 22
Essay 1.1 due with copies for group
Style: 13
MLA Q&A (bring Handbook to class)

Monday 27
Workshop groups with comments

Wednesday 29
Poetry handouts
Gluck: selections

FEBRUARY

Monday 3
Essay 1.2 due
Gluck: selections
Style: 6, 8

Wednesday 5
Gluck: selections
What poems teach us as essay writers

Monday 10
Provence: January-April
Style: 12

Wednesday 12
Provence: May-August
Research ideas / strategies for 2.1 and 3.1

Monday 17
Provence: September-December

Wednesday 19
Essay 2.1 due with copies for group

Monday 24
Workshop groups with comments

Wednesday 26
Essay 2.2 due
Writing Exercises / TBD

MARCH

Monday 3
Writing Exercises / TBD

Wednesday 5
Essay 3.1 due with copies for group

Monday 10
Workshop groups with comments

Wednesday 12
Class Readings/Evaluations
Final Prompt

Monday 17
Essay 3.2 and Final Essay due by 1pm in my mailbox


"Writing is a way of arguing with ourselves, a way of keeping ourselves honest by discovering precisely what we believe and finding out whether we are justified in believing it." - Jim Raymond

"A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people."
- Thomas Mann