National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology

Applied Foreign Languages

English Department

3rd Year Intermediate Writing II

Spring 2004

 

Class Meetings:Wednesdays, 9-12 noon

3 credits

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Instructor: Aiden C. Yeh

Email: aidenyeh@yahoo.com

NKFUST Writing Yahoogroups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writing2003

NKFUST Email: writing2003@yahoogroups.com

 

Course Aims and Objectives

 

1.       To train students to avail of an array of writing strategies

2.       To get students to use academic language needed in their future schoolwork or careers

3.       To develop academic skills such as analyzing, narrating, inferring, etc. to help students become proficient readers and writers.

4.       To engage students in online writing through weblogs (http://aidenyeh.bravelog.com)

5.       To enhance students’ collaborative skills through peer editing and feedback using Quick topic document review.

 

Course Assignments and Requirements

 

Submission of completed assignments and required essays. Participation in writing weblogs and the quality of feedback given using quicktopic. Quality of writing also counts for good grades. Weblogs will be monitored all the time. Daily postings are required

 

NOTE: Essays must be uploaded on QuickTopic Document Review for Peer Feedback. Final Draft must be uploaded on your Folder (Files section of our Yahoogroups)- this will be your portfolio. In-class peer review sessions will count for 20% of your grade (see Evaluation and Grading).

 

February 18       Feedback Report on Dr. Elizabeth Hanson-Smith’s Online Training Materials and Writing Exerc.

March 03           Essay 1    Defining a Word

March 17          Essay 2    Analysis

March 31           Essay 3. Physical Description

 

April 14             Essay 4. Narration

April 28             Essay 5- Analysis

May 12             Essay 6- Definition

May 26             Essay 7 Posing Hypothetical Situation

June 09             Essay 08 Comparison and contrast

 

Evaluation and Grading

 

10% Attendance and Class Participation including in-class writing and exercises (Attendance will be checked every hour.)

60% Assigned Compositions, Midterms and Finals (Portfolio)

20% Peer Feedback (the quality of feedback that you give in Quicktopic Document Review)

20% Journals/Blogs

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100 points

 

LATE ASSIGNMENTS get 60 points

NO assignments= 0

 

Course Texts

 

Blanton, L.L. 2001. Composition Practice 3rd and 4th Edition.  Thomson, Heinle

 

Readings: It is your responsibility to come to class prepared, which means that you need to read and understand the lessons before coming to class. Knowing your lessons will also help you to participate in class discussions and to perform better in written exercises.

 

Recommended Texts: Reading materials that could help you become better writers.

 

Folse. K., Muchmore-Vokoun, A., Solomon, E. 1999. Great Essays. Houghton Mifflin Co.,

Kelly, C. and Gargagliano, A. 2001. Writing from Within. Cambridge.

Raimes, A. Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook 2nd Ed.,Houghton Mifflin Co.,

Reid, J. 2000. The Process of Composition. 3rd Ed., Longman.

Azar, B. 1999. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 3rd Ed.

 

Schedule: Wednesdays

 

February 18      Create Blogs. Introduce and practice Quick Topic Document Review for Peer Feedback.

Blogs http://aidenyeh.bravelog.com

                        Quick topic. http://www.quicktopic.com/docreview

                        Dr. Elizabeth Hanson-Smith’s Writing Materials and Online Exercises. Write Feedback report.

February 25      Composition Practice, Book 3, Unit 9. Defining. What’s in a word? In-Class writing and exercises. Assignment: Essay 1- Choose a word from the list given on p 133 or you can choose your own word and explain what it means to you, to other, or both. Search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic. Deadline of submission to be uploaded on Quicktopic Document Review is on March 03.

 

March 03           Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder.

March 10           Composition Practice, Book 3, Unit 10. Analyzing. Crimes of Passion. Crimes of Greed. Essay 2- Analysis. Search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic. Deadline March 17. Essay 2 must be uploaded on Quicktopic Document Review.

March 17           Essay 2. Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. In-class work studeent-teacher conference

March 24           Composition Practice, Book 4. Unit 1. Describing Physical details. Composition Focus: Physical Decription. Organizational Focus: Spatial Order. In-class writing. Essay 3. Physical Description. Choose from the suggested topics on pp. 15-16 or choose your own topic. Search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic.Deadline of Submission March 31

March 31           Essay 3. Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. Online work

 

April 07             Composition Practice, Book 4, Unit 2. Framing Events in Time. Composition Focus: Narration. Organizational Focus: Chronological Order. In-class writing and exercises pp25-30 Essay 4. Narration. Choose from the topics given on p. 33 or choose your own. Search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic.Please indicate which line of composition you have have chosen, Composition A, B or C. Deadline of submission is April 14.

 

April 14             Midterms Week. Essay 4. Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. IN-Class work, student-teacher conference

April 21             Composition Practice, Book 4, Unit 3. Analyzing Patterns: Factors Affecting Spoken English. Composition Focus: Analysis. Organizational Focus: Partition. In-class writing and exercises.  Essay 5- Analysis. Choose from the topics given on p.54-55. Search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic.Please indicate which line of composition you have have chosen, Composition A, B or C. Deadline of submission is April 28.

April 28             Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. IN-Class work, Practice Composition Exam. Do not be absent. No make-up exam will be given

 

May 05             Unit 4. Making Meaning Clear. Composition Focus: Definition. Organizational Focus: Partition. In-class writing and exerices. Choosing a topic for Essay 6- search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic. Deadline of submission for Essay 6 is on May 12

May 12             Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. IN-Class work

May 19             Unit 5.Posing hypothetical Situations “What If…”. Composition Focus: Hypothetical Narration. Organization Focus: Chronological Order. In-class writing and exercises. Choosing a topic for Essay 7- search the Internet to gather information about your chosen topic. Deadline of submission for Essay 7 is on May 26.

May 26             Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. IN-Class work.

 

June 02             Unit 6. Differences and Similarities. Composition Focus: Comparison and Contrast. Organizational Focus: Contrtastive Balance. Essay 8 deadline: June 09.

June 09             Peer Feedback. Edit/Revise essay and upload FINAL DRAFT in our Yahoogroups. Upload your work in your own folder. IN-Class work. Choose 4 Essays from your portfolio to be submitted and credited for your finals. Read again your selected essays, make the necessary revisions before submitting the final version.

June 16             Finals

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17 Meetings, 8 Essays

 

Goodluck!

 

Aiden Yeh, February 2004