Welcome to English 91! You should check our class website every Monday and Wednesday before our Tuesday and Thursday classes so that you can come to class prepared. While I have sketched an outline for the class in these weekly session posts, things will undoubtedly change as the semester goes on.
This week we have three principle goals. First, I want for us to get acquainted. Second, I want to introduce the overall goals of English 91. Finally, I want you to understand that college writing is different than the previous writing that you may have done in high school or possibly in English 81 or 89 here at COC. In order to introduce you to the demands of college writing, we will begin to read Keith Hjortshoj's The Transition to College Writing, 2nd edition. If you haven't already procured this book online, I recommend buying or renting it at the bookstore ASAP (Monkey!) because you will need to have parts of it read for our second session. You won't have time for it to come by mail.
In the selection we're reading from The Transition to College Writing, Hjortshoj discusses the skills that are important to succeeding in college in general and in a college writing classroom. As you read this for our Wednesday class, I want you to think about the strengths and weaknesses you find in your own writing. I also want you to reflect on how the type of college writing Hjortshoj describes might be different than the writing you've encountered either in high school or other writing classes at COC.
This week, you'll have two things to take care of: 1) Buy/rent your books for this class and 2) Read the appropriate sections from The Transition to College Writing and answer the study questions below. If you have read this carefully and attentively, you will have realized that there is a word that clearly does not belong. Write this word at the end of your homework for two points extra credit.
Reading/Viewing:
Keith Hjortshoj, The Transition to College Writing, 1-29
Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing that You Can Improve video (below)
The above text. Write down which word clearly does not belong in the paragraphs above for a point of extra credit.
Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing that You Can Improve video (below)
The above text. Write down which word clearly does not belong in the paragraphs above for a point of extra credit.
Study Questions:
DIRECTIONS (READ ME): Throughout our term, I will assign you study questions. These questions are due at the beginning of class and must be typed with a proper header. You
must be prepared to hand these in at the beginning of class. In
other words, answers handwritten during class will not be accepted.
Unless I state otherwise, your answers should be about a paragraph
long. When dealing with primary texts, you should quote directly from
the text using MLA standards. Our discussions in class will stem from
your answers to these questions. You need only to write one paragraph
in response to these questions and you should formulate it in the
"paraburger" format outlined in "How to Write a Successful Paper."
1. What is the lesson that Hjortshoj wants you to draw from his story about Eduardo and Marie? Before answering, make sure that you have read the directions above.
2. According to Hjortshoj, why is writing important to learning?
Video for Wednesday:
