ENGLISH 110L

Spring 2003

Benjamin Vogt
vogt.39@osu.edu
Office: Denney (DE) 513
Hours: M/W 12:00-1:30
Phone: 292-1730 (during hours only)
Mailbox: DE 421


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 (you will learn to read as a writer). We will explore fiction, poetry, and literary non-fiction using our critical responses as jumping off points into your own writing. Since this is a discussion-heavy course, you will be expected to participate daily and have read the material conscientiously. All of the essays will require detailed and extensive research, effective organization and structure, descriptive language, and a love for the Minnesota Twins.

Texts
Tennessee Williams: The Glass Menagerie
Tim O'Brien: In the Lake of the Woods
Louise Glück: The Wild Iris
Peter Mayle: A Year in Provence
John Trimble: Writing With Style, 2nd ed.
Joseph Gibaldi: MLA Handbook, 5th ed.
Course Website. Online. http://people.english.ohio-state.edu/vogt.39

All books available at SBX

The Percentages
20% -- Essay 1 (3-5pp)
20% -- Essay 2 (3-5pp)
20% -- Essay 3 (4-6pp)
20% -- Participation (contribute positively in workshops and class, 5% discussion lead)
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 basic 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: No credit if not fully prepared and participatory. You only go once, with a partner, so make them count. More to come on this in class and on website.
Workshop Comments: 250 word write-up on each group member's essay. Late or missing comments will drop the participation grade by 5%. More to come on this as well.

Plagiarism: is the representation of another's works or ideas as one's own. It includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person's work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person's ideas (cite sources in your essay). All cases of suspected plagiarism, in accordance with university rules, will be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct.

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

2) OSU Writing Center: provides free professional consultation for all levels of writers. 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-they will not only help improve your writing, but your as well grade.

3) Disability Services: is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, 292-3307, and offers a variety
of services for students and teachers with disabilities.

All assignments are listed on the date due - I will give you proper notice of any changes

MARCH

Monday 31
Introduction
First day writing

APRIL

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

Monday 7
Conferences this week
Lake: 11-19
Style: 3-5, 9

Wednesday 9
Conferences this week
Lake: 20-31
Style: 7 / bring in narrow thesis list

Monday 14
Essay examples / writing exercises / other

Wednesday 16
Essay 1.1 due with copies for group
Style: 13
MLA Q&A (bring Handbook to class)

Monday 21
Workshop groups with comments-no formal class

Wednesday 23
Poetry handouts
Gluck: selections

Monday 28
Essay 1.2 due
Gluck: selections
Style: 6, 8

Wednesday 30
Gluck: selections
What poems teach us as essay writers / poem emulation due

MAY

Monday 5
Provence: January-April
Style: 12

Wednesday 7
Provence: May-August
Research ideas / strategies for 2.1 and 3.1

Monday 12
Provence: September-December
Writing exercises / video

Wednesday 14
Essay 2.1 due with copies for group

Monday 19
Workshop groups with comments / Play TBD

Wednesday 21
Essay 2.2 due
Writing Exercises / Play TBD

Monday 26
Memorial Day-NO CLASS

Wednesday 28
Essay 3.1 due with copies for group

JUNE

Monday 2
Workshop groups with comments-no formal class

Wednesday 4
Class Readings / Evaluations

Monday 9
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
________________________________________________________________________
First Day Writing (1-2pp, single-spaced) - Describe your favorite book. Show why it's good, what it's meant to you, et cetera. Be as detailed and specific as possible.