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ENG 071 Basic Writing Skills
Class description: Emphasis on the fundamentals of writing a sentence, paragraph, and
multi-paragraph structure.
Prerequisites: Appropriate English placement score, or completion of ENG056 or ENG061
with a grade of "C" or better is required. Students are encouraged to enroll in RDG091. This class will write a
writing sample (taken the first day of class) to ensure placement at appropriate levels.
On this and the following
pages, I have put the syllabus, schedule and handouts/exercises that you can access for reminders, help and guidelines throughout
the semester. Feel free to copy or print any of the pages you would like--I would suggest copying the page into a word file
before printing to avoid formating errors or lost information because of margins, etc.
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The following is a list of what the district sets as the "competencies" for this class (the skills you should learn
during the semester).
1. Review and develop use of the writing process for paragraphs and essays to include invention,
planning, developing, revising, and editing.
2. Demonstrate development of a topic for a specific audience and purpose.
3. Identify sentence patterns and correct common errors in sentence construction.
4. Review and practice
use of topic sentences for paragraphs and/or thesis statements for essays.
5. Review, practice and revise paragraphs
and/or essays to be unified and coherent using a variety of methods of development.
6. Review and practice developing
paragraphs and/or essays with supporting details, facts, statistics, examples, and statements by authorities.
7.
Write multiple paragraphs and at least one essay to review and practice using the essay format.
8. Revise paragraphs
and/or multi-paragraph essays for audience, purpose, organization, style, mechanics, and sentence structure.
9.
Review and practice summarizing information.
District Expectations of a Course Outline:
I. Overview of Writing:
The writing process; Audience analysis
II. Writing Correct Sentences: avoiding and/or correcting Sentence fragments,
antecedent agreement, Subject-verb agreement, case, Run-on sentences, Modifiers, Commas, Parallel construction, and Past tense
verbs
III. Writing Clear Paragraphs: Topic sentence and thesis statements; Specific support sentences; Unity; Coherence;
and Continuity
IV. Using Specific Support: Detailed facts, Statistics, Examples, Personal experiences, and Statements
by authorities
V. Modes of Development: Narration, Description, Exemplification, Process, Comparison and contrast,
Cause and effect, and Definition
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GRADES: The grade for this semseter will be based on writings and tests required to accomplish
the requirements listed above. First, there will be several paragraphs written in the different modes (narration, exposition,
etc., see list above) each revised and polished; second, there will be several in-class writing assignments exploring and
utilizing the skills that are being developed; third, there will be a reading/writing journal the student will keep during
the semester in which she/he will write responses to readings; and fourth, there will be a multi-paragraph argumentative essay
written at the end of the semester utilzing the skills developed throughout. There will also be tests/quizzes throughout the
semseter over textbook, lecture and writing skills information, including a final exam.
POLICIES: You are required
to be here for every class meeting. See the Student Handbook regarding absences, excused and unexcused. I have given you my
voice mail box so you may call if there is a problem getting to class; however, short of a death in the family you really
need to be here every day.
CLASS CONDUCT: I am a pretty casual person--only a couple of things are needed to make
me happy. First, when I am speaking (or when anyone else in the class is supposed to be the speaker), you should be courteous
enough to at least pretend to pay attention. Do not talk amongst yourselves, etc. Second, when I give an assignment, I expect
that it will be done--and done on time. Whether that means that something has been assigned for the next class period, or
assigned for later in the same period, you should always keep an eye on that deadline. (I have given you a schedule with the
deadlines listed on it, so there should be no questions about when something is due.)
There will be some "goal sessions" in which you will be required to work alone, others
when you will be required to work with a partner or group. Please be aware that this means sharing your work with others,
so choose your topics appropriately for your writings. We will also have times for conferences and one-on-one work with the
instructor.
The text required for this class is:
_Writing Sentences and Paragraphs_ by Wingersky
Please
click on the picture below to link to the GCC Bookstore to see what text is required or to pre-order the book.
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