Composition Forum 23, Spring 2011
http://compositionforum.com/issue/23/

Appendices from “The Kairotic Moment: Pragmatic Revision of Basic Writing Instruction at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne”

Sara Webb-Sunderhaus and Stevens Amidon

This page contains all appendices from “The Kairotic Moment: Pragmatic Revision of Basic Writing Instruction at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne”. PDF format is also available.

Appendix 1: Outcomes for English W131 and W233

The following four tables represent outcomes for W131 and W233. The outcomes are represented in tabular form in order to clarify the relationships between W131 and W233, specifically how W233 should build upon W131. The outcomes listed in the first column of each table are based on the Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition, which was written by the Council of Writing Program Administrators (see http://wpacouncil.org/positions/outcomes.html). We have also indicated how each outcome fits the Pedagogical Framework for the IPFW Baccalaureate Degree, which was approved by the IPFW University Senate in April 2006. Specific framework goals appear in italics at the end of each outcome description.

Rhetorical Knowledge

Major themes in this section include changes in types of audience and genre. Whereas students in W131 may address more familiar audiences, students in W233 should address less familiar (more scholarly, professional) audiences. Whereas students in W131 may write in more familiar genres that require less research, students in W233 should write in less familiar genres that require more research.

WPA Outcome	W131	W233
Focus on a purpose; define a thesis	Students must be able to define an appropriate purpose (e.g., a topic, a point of significance about the topic, and reasons for writing about it). They must be able to summarize that purpose in a thesis statement. IPFW: critical thinking & problem solving, communication.	All the purpose & thesis skills taught in W131 must be reinforced in W233. IPFW: critical thinking & problem solving, communication.
Respond to the needs of different audiences	Students must write for various audiences (e.g., the instructor, fellow students, family members, citizens of a local community). Audiences should be more proximate (familiar) in W131 than in W233. Students must offer supporting details appropriate to the audience. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, sense of community, communication.	Students must write to various audiences, some of which should be less proximate (familiar) for students than in W131 (e.g., members of a professional discourse community). Students must offer supporting details appropriate to the audience. IPFW: application of knowledge, sense of community, communication.
Adopt an appropriate stance toward audience and topic	Students must demonstrate that they can adopt various relationships to their audiences (e.g., informal, formal, intimate, distant) and chosen topic (e.g., respectful, sarcastic, serious, lighthearted). IPFW: personal & professional values, sense of community, communication.	Students should be asked to adopt more complicated, complex styles and tones than in W131—styles expected by less proximate audiences. IPFW: personal & professional values, sense of community, communication.
Understand how genres shape reading and writing	Should be introduced in W233.	Students must demonstrate that they understand how particular genres function within a particular discourse community. IPFW: acquisition of knowledge.
Write in several genres	Students must write a variety of genres, such as profiles, memoirs, evaluations, reports, proposals, or multi-genre pieces. To produce the genres in W131, students can draw more on their own knowledge and experience than in W233. IPFW: application of knowledge, communication.	Students must write a variety of genres, such as evaluations, discourse analyses, annotated bibliographies or literature reviews, reports, white papers, or proposals. More emphasis should be given to research-related genres in W233 than in W131. IPFW: application of knowledge, sense of community, communication.

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

Major themes in this section include scope, types of readings, and the handling of sources. The scope of research should expand from W131 to W233. Students should read more challenging, in-depth, and scholarly sources in W233. And they should be able to synthesize sources in W233.

WPA Outcome	W131	W233
Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking	Students must be able to identify the main point of another text and to summarize and analyze it. IPFW: acquisition and application of knowledge. Students must be able to assess the credibility of various sources. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving. Students must create their own open-ended, complex research questions, devise an appropriate research strategy, and enact it. This should result in a project of approximately 2000 words that incorporates approximately 5-6 sources. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving.	All inquiry skills taught in W131 must be reinforced in W233, but the scope of research should increase in W233. Students should be expected to produce a project of approximately 4500 words that incorporates approximately 10 sources. As part of that project, students should create a literature review or annotated bibliography. Students should also be expected to rely almost exclusively on challenging, in-depth, and scholarly sources. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving.
Understand a writing assignment as a series of tasks	Students must complete various stages of a writing assignment: pre-writing, drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, reflecting. Students must also demonstrate that they can meet deadlines for various stages of a writing task—deadlines most likely set by their instructors. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.	In addition to meeting the expectations set in W131, students in W233 must demonstrate that they can take greater responsibility in managing the stages of a larger-scale writing project. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.
Integrate one’s own ideas with those of others	Students must be able to use sources (primary and/or secondary) to support their own messages. They must be able to integrate those sources into their own texts through appropriate introductions and commentaries. Also students must keep their ideas and style to the fore, rather than to patch together quotes and paraphrases from others. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, personal & professional values.	In addition to integrating individual sources (primary and/or secondary) effectively, students in W233 must be able to synthesize (compare & contrast, find themes across) multiple sources. Students must demonstrate how those sources fit within a particular discourse community. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, personal & professional values, sense of community.
Understand the relationships among language, knowledge, and power	Should be introduced in W233.	Through discourse analyses, students must demonstrate that they can recognize the writing standards of a particular discourse community, how adherence to writing standards affects credibility in a discourse community, and how those standards are constructed.

Processes

A major theme in this section is student control. Whereas students in W131 should try writing strategies as demonstrated and assigned by the instructor, students in W233 should demonstrate that they can employ prewriting strategies as they see fit.

WPA Outcome	W131	W233
Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to complete a successful text	Students must submit multiple drafts of any major assignment. When appropriate, each draft should show significant revision from its predecessor. Students must reflect on the changes (or lack of them) through journals or cover letters to instructors. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.	The same must occur in W233, but students should be able to take more control over their writing processes (e.g., deciding what types of prewriting strategies to use and when to use them). IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.
Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing	Students must provide evidence that they have used various strategies (e.g., heuristics, journals, writing workshops, large- and small-scale revision) t0 complete a project. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.	Students must provide evidence that they can use various strategies according to their own needs (e.g., they should demonstrate more control over their writing strategies). Also, students in W233 should demonstrate that they can gather and manage multiple sources of information. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.
Understand writing as a recursive process	Students must demonstrate that they can engage in various stages of the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, reviewing, editing, reflecting) as assigned. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.	All composing skills taught in W131 must be reinforced in W233. Students in W233 should demonstrate that they use various stages as necessary, rather than as assigned. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, critical thinking & problem solving, communication.
Understand the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes	Students must participate meaningfully in writing workshops and peer review activities by offering constructive feedback and suggestions and by integrating the suggestions of others into their own work. Students should engage in at least one collaborative writing activity. IPFW: personal & professional values, sense of community.	The same must occur in W233. Students should engage in at least one collaborative writing activity. Also, students should demonstrate that they understand the social purposes of writing in a given discourse community. IPFW: personal & professional values, sense of community.
Learn to critique their own and others’ work	Students must be able to critique their own work through reflective writing such as journals and cover letters. They must be able to critique classmates’ work through peer review and writing workshops. IPFW: application of knowledge, personal & professional values, sense of community, critical thinking & problem solving.	The same must occur in W233. Also, students must demonstrate that they can identify their own needs for peer review and to communicate those needs to classmates. IPFW: application of knowledge, personal & professional values, sense of community, critical thinking & problem solving.
Use various technologies to address a range of audiences	Students must be able to produce and submit papers as electronic files (in MS Word, RTF, Web, or PDF formats). They should use appropriate electronic databases to find sources. Students must be able to conduct discussions and/or maintain public journals through discussion boards or Web logs. They should use the Comment and Track Changes features of MS Word for peer review, or to document their use of the writing process. IPFW: application of knowledge, communication.	In addition to the skills demonstrated in W131, students in W233 should be able to use digital tools (e.g., a blog or Comment in Word) for research and/or project management. They should be able to produce a simple web page. They should use digital tools to create and integrate visual elements (graphs, charts, pictures, etc.) IPFW: application of knowledge, communication.

Knowledge of Conventions

The major theme in this section is discourse communities. Whereas students in W131 should meet guidelines established by their instructors and learn at least one citation style, students in W233 should become familiar with guidelines of other discourse communities.

WPA Outcome	W131	W233
Learn common formats for different genres of texts.	Students must meet format guidelines established by their instructors. IPFW: application of knowledge, communication.	Students must not only meet format guidelines established by their instructors but also guidelines they are likely to encounter in other discourse communities. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, communication.
Develop knowledge of genre conventions	Students must demonstrate that they can adapt such issues as stance (voice), organization, format, and development appropriate to a given genre. IPFW: application of knowledge, communication.	In addition to that required in W131, students must demonstrate that they understand how particular genres may function within particular discourse communities. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, communication.
Practice appropriate means of documenting one’s work	Students must be able to document secondary research using at least one style (e.g., MLA or APA) and to understand how at least one other style differs. Students should be able to use a handbook to support their efforts at documentation. IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, personal & professional values, communication.	In addition to meeting the requirements for W131, students must also be able to document various types of sources (e.g., print texts, electronic texts, moving images, interviews). IPFW: acquisition & application of knowledge, personal & professional values, communication.
Control syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling	Students must demonstrate that they can apply the conventions described in their course handbook, when appropriate. IPFW: sense of community, communication.	In addition to meeting the requirements for W131, students must also demonstrate that they understand the conventions of a given discourse community. IPFW: sense of community, communication.

last updated: 2006.12.20

Appendix 2: Syllabus for English W129, Introductory Elementary Composition

English W129

Introductory Elementary Composition

Section 16: 10:30-11:45, KT 148 (T)/ LA 232 (R)

Section 17: 12:00-1:15, KT 148 (T)/ LA 226 (R)

Professor: Sara Webb-Sunderhaus, Ph.D.

Office: LA 117

Mailbox: LA 145 (English Department office)

Phone: 481-0153

Email: webbs@ipfw.edu (the best way to reach me)

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m., 1:30-2:00 p.m., and by appointment

Required Materials:

Clouse, Barbara Fine. A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers, 6th edition (TG).
Stewart, Jennifer. The IPFW Writing Program Student Handbook (IPFW).
Nathan, Rebekah. My Freshman Year.
Selected handouts with which I’ll provide you.
A college dictionary (recommended: American Heritage College Dictionary).
An activated IPFW email account; you will meet in a computer classroom, and you will need to check your email and log onto Blackboard regularly.
A flash/thumb/USB drive.

Course Overview/Goals

Welcome to your first college English class! English W129 is a writing course; therefore, one of our goals for this class is to grow as writers. We’ll achieve that growth by emphasizing the idea that writing is a process that involves brainstorming, drafting, peer review, and multiple revisions (though not necessarily in that order). Many of us like to believe that writers should “get it right the first time” and don’t need to revise. In reality, however, writing is a continuous process. This course will emphasize that process.

Review and revision is a critical part of the writing process. You will be required to actively participate not only in the review and revision of your own work, but also in the review and revision of your peers’ work. The goal of this work is to help each other with our writing and to create a community of writers. While we’ll be writing quite a bit, we’ll also be reading a book that focuses on what it is like to be a college student today. We’ll also be reading about the writing process.

Our primary goals for the course are to learn how to:

Read critically and write clearly and persuasively in various rhetorical contexts;
Apply methods of inquiry appropriate to various rhetorical contexts; and
Demonstrate critical thinking through the interrelated activities of reading and writing.

In order to achieve these goals, we will break them down into smaller objectives, such as learning how to:

Read texts that will challenge us in a variety of ways
Write in a variety of genres for different purposes
Practice summarizing and paraphrasing
Conduct research and cite sources appropriately
Focus and develop arguments more effectively
Organize thoughts more effectively
Use supporting detail effectively
Gain greater fluency in writing
Revise thoroughly and effectively
Reflect on our writing
Respond in meaningful and helpful ways to others’ writing
Plan and draft writing

By the end of the course, you should be able to demonstrate your competence in four areas:

Rhetorical Knowledge, including the ability to focus on a purpose and audience; to respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations; to adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality; and to write in several genres.
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, including the ability to use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating; to manage a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources; and to integrate your own ideas with those of others.
Writing Processes, including the use of multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text; the development of flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading; and participation in collaborative and social processes that require the ability to critique your own and others’ works.
Knowledge of Conventions, including the ability to follow common formats for different kinds of genres; to practice appropriate means of documenting one’s work; to control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

As you may have surmised by this point, this course will be challenging and ambitious, and you should be prepared to work hard and to the best of your ability throughout the semester. In addition to being intellectually challenging, this course may challenge beliefs you have had, including beliefs about writing. Be patient and tolerant with yourself and others (including me); within this classroom community you are expected to value the ideas of those around you and to voice your reactions in a constructive way. I encourage you to accept the challenge of exploring new ideas. Although our work together this semester will be challenging, it will also be thought provoking and (gasp!) even enjoyable. ;)

Again, welcome to W129. I’m glad you’re here!

Assignments/Grades:

This course will utilize a variety of assignments, including in-class writing, homework, papers, and leading discussion. You will have the opportunity to workshop your four papers with your peers, and you will also receive ungraded feedback from me before revising your papers and re-submitting them for grading. Keep electronic versions of ALL of your homework assignments and paper drafts, and save them in at least two different places (a hard drive and your flash drive, for example). This will make your life much easier!

The grading distribution is as follows:

Paper 1 (Narrative)—15%
Paper 2 (Compare/Contrast)—20%
Paper 3 (Research Paper)—20%
Paper 4 (Writer’s Reflection)—15%
In-class writing/Homework—20%
Leading Discussion—10%

As previously mentioned, you will be required to revise your four papers this semester. You will submit to me a preliminary draft of each paper on the date listed on the daily schedule. If you do not turn in this draft on time, you will earn a zero for the final grade of the assignment. I will return this draft to you with my comments, but no letter grade.

Within one week of the return of that draft with my comments, you must write a letter/email to me, stating how you intend to revise your paper, and, in the case of Papers 2-4, you must also state the due date for your revision in this document (I set the due date for Paper One). You may select any due date you wish as long as all revisions are turned in to me by the end of the semester, but I WILL FIRMLY HOLD YOU TO THE DUE DATE YOU STATE. If your revision is not turned in to me by the date you select, the revision will be considered late and will not be accepted. That will result in a zero for the assignment.

No matter what your final grade average is, you must submit all four papers to pass the course.

Attendance/Tardiness:

Because this class is a community in which members learn from each other, your presence in class is vital. After your second absence, your final grade for the course will be dropped a step (i.e. B- to C+) for each additional absence. In other words, if your grade average is a C-but you accumulated four absences, your final grade will be a D. More than six absences is grounds for automatic failure of the course.

I do not distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused” absences, so I would urge you to carefully consider the consequences of skipping class and to reserve absences for emergencies, such as sudden illness, and participation in university sponsored events (such as being on a sports team). Do not schedule doctor’s appointments, jobs, meetings with your advisor, etc. during class time, which should be reserved for our class ONLY. If you must miss class due to your participation in a university activity, you must provide a note from the coach/sponsor of the event, and your work is still due on the date stated on the schedule. It is not my responsibility to “catch you up” on classes you missed. Ask a classmate for information you may have missed.

Tardiness is disruptive to the classroom community. Anyone coming to class after we’ve started will be considered tardy. You have one “free” tardy—everybody has a bad day now and then. After the “freebie,” every fourth tardy will equal one absence, and the grade penalty will apply. So, make it a habit to be on time.

It is rude and disruptive to the entire class for students to wander in and out of the room. If you’re in class, I expect you to stay in class until I dismiss you (this doesn’t apply to bathroom emergencies and the like).

Formatting, Length, and Submission Policies:

Your papers and daily homework must be word-processed documents, using 12 point, Times New Roman font and double spacing. In addition, your papers must use MLA formatting (we’ll discuss what that means in class). I will not accept handwritten homework or papers. Unless stated otherwise, homework assignments are always one page in length.

I do not generally accept late work. Assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the assigned date, whether you are in class or not. Please submit your work to me via e-mail; don’t worry, I will teach you how to do this in class! If you are late to, or absent from, class, you will not be able to make-up any in-class writing assignments you missed. “Computer problems” do not excuse late work.

Ground Rules for Discussion and Peer Review

As the semester progresses, we may encounter, either in discussion or within someone’s paper, controversial topics. Each of us has a unique perspective and prior experience, and it is essential that we treat each other with respect. In other words, treat your classmates and your professor the way you’d like to be treated. This doesn’t mean that you will like everyone or will always agree with everyone’s opinions, but I do expect you to treat your peers and me with respect and to avoid hurling insults, making snide remarks, etc. The use of derogatory or hateful terms based on race, gender, sexual orientation, national and/or regional origin, or other categories is unacceptable in this classroom community.

Participation/Leading Discussion:

The nature of this course is very different from that of a large, lecture-based course. This is a small class that will heavily rely on small and large group discussion to facilitate learning. Your active participation is crucial for both your individual success in the course as well as the success of the course as a whole. Simply showing up for class isn’t participating.

During one class this semester, you will be required to lead the discussion of the reading. This requires more than just doing the assigned reading for that day; you will need to decide which issues from the reading are important for the class to consider and to design an activity that will help us address these points in the discussion you lead (you MUST have an activity aside from the discussion). You may lead with a partner or by yourself; if you choose to work with a partner, both of you must take an equally active role during class.

You should let me know by the end of this week which day you’d like to lead discussion; any day for which reading is required is open. If you require any audio-visual equipment outside of what is already in our classroom, please let me know 5 days in advance so that I can contact the appropriate people (this is very important, because I can’t call them at the last minute and expect to get the equipment).

Conferences:

There will be two mandatory conference sessions this semester. The first conference will be a short, informal, getting-to-know-you chat. I’ll be passing around a sign-up sheet; select the time that works best for you (see me if none of the times work).

The second conference will occur around the mid-term. We’ll review your writing and other course work, as well as any concerns you may have. More information will follow, but plan on these conferences being held the week of October 4th. Because this conference will take the place of one class, missing this conference counts as one absence.

Plagiarism:

IPFW’s academic regulations state, “Academic honesty is expected of all students. You are responsible for knowing how to maintain academic honesty and for abstaining from cheating, the appearance of cheating, and permitting or assisting in another’s cheating.”

Plagiarism is a violation of academic honesty and goes against the rules of this university and my own personal ethics. To put it bluntly, DON’T DO IT! Plagiarism is the representation of another’s words 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 unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas. If I learn you have plagiarized, you will be punished with sanctions up to and including failure of the course; MANY students have already failed my courses due to plagiarism. The offense will also be reported to the Writing Program Director, the Chair of the English department and your department, the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of your school or program, and the Dean of Students.

Support Services for Students:

Services for Students with Disabilities

If you have a disability and need assistance, arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the SSD web site at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/.

The Writing Center

The IPFW Writing Center, located in KT G19, is open Monday-Friday, as well as selected Sundays. It offers all writers free one-on-one help in writing papers for any class. Students may come at any stage of the writing process. Appointments are required; you should bring your syllabus and assignment with you. The Writing Center also offers online consulting, free handouts, and workshops on a variety of topics. To sign up for a consultation, please visit http://www.ipfw.edu/casa/writing/. If you have questions about the Writing Center’s services or want to see if there are openings for same day appointments, call 481-5740.

Your Professor

Required conferences are not the only time you may conference with me. Take advantage of my office hours and come to me with concerns about assignments, revisions, etc., as well as general concerns about the course. I especially encourage you to conference with me about the drafts of your four papers. I will be more than happy to answer questions, to brainstorm with you, to go over your revisions with you, and to offer my response and suggestions. If you cannot meet with me during my office hours, I am very willing to schedule another time that is convenient for the both of us; I’ll meet you in our course’s Blackboard chatroom, too. You just have to ask. I am here to help!

General Expectations:

Here are some “rules of thumb” for this class that are applicable to almost any college class:

Come to class every day, on time, and stay until class is over. ‘Nuff said.
Turn off your cellphone. Or better yet, leave it at home. Class is the time for us to work on writing and is not the time to text or talk on the phone.
Be nice to the computers. Keep food and beverages away from the computers. Don’t hit the computers, no matter how tempting it is. ;) Remember that during class, computers should only be used for class-related projects. Check your e-mail, Facebook, chat, and surf the net before or after class starts.
Treat your classmates and professor the way you would like to be treated.

TENTATIVE DAILY SCHEDULE/READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS

Schedule and assignments are subject to change***

Week One

Aug 24 Introductions; review syllabus and course policies; MLA formatting. Homework: read the syllabus and write down any questions you have about it; prepare your Me-Bag.

Aug 26 Answer questions about syllabus; continue introductions. Homework: read TG pp. 1-18 and write a response that addresses how the book’s discussion of the writing process matches up with your own writing process and what you learned about writing in school; read the Preface and Chapter One of My Freshman Year and write a response that discusses how your first week at IPFW was similar to what Nathan describes in the first chapter.

Week Two

Aug 31 Work with readings; how to summarize texts. Homework: read IPFW pp. 13-18, TG pp. 91-94, and write a response to this question: how do you define “good writing?”

Sept 2 Defining “good writing;” peer review training; introduce Paper One. Homework: read Chapters Two and Three of My Freshman Year and write a 60-word summary of each chapter; read TG pp. 43-47, 48-52, and 60-63. Write a response to the following questions: do you find writing introductions and/or conclusions difficult? Why or why not? What strategies do you typically use in writing beginnings and endings?

Week Three

Sept 7 Discussion of reading. Homework: read Chapter Four of My Freshman Year and write a 60-word summary.

Sept 9 Discuss reading and begin generating topic ideas and text. Homework: Read TG pp. 19-30, 31-33, and 34-39. Write a description of how you usually go about writing and how the reading’s discussion is similar to or different from your own habits.

Week Four

Sept 14 Discussion of reading. In-class writing activities, including work on organization (TG pp. 83-86). Homework: read IPFW pp. 39-50; finish draft of Paper One for peer review and submit to your peer reviewers by 11:59pm tonight.

Sept 16 NO CLASS--submit peer reviews of Paper One to your peers by 11:59pm tonight. Homework: revise draft of Paper One and bring a hard (paper) copy of your draft to class; read TG pp. 103-117, IPFW pp. 123-132, and edit your draft before bringing it to class.

Week Five

Sept 21 PAPER ONE DRAFT DUE; editing day; review of fragments, comma splices, and fused sentences. Homework: read Chapter Five of My Freshman Year and write a 60-word summary of the chapter.

Sept 23 Discussion of reading; introduce Paper Two. Homework: read Chapters Six and Seven of My Freshman Year and write a 60-word summary of each chapter.

Week Six

Sept 28 Discussion of reading; Homework: Read TG pp. 53-59, 64-66, and 136-137. Read the afterword of My Freshman Year and write a 60-word summary.

Sept 30 Discussion of reading; writing activities. Homework: continue revising Paper One and bring a digital copy for use in class on Tuesday; read TG pp. 67-78 and 86-93.

Week Seven

Oct 5 REVISED, FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER ONE DUE. Writing activities. Homework: continue drafting Paper Two and bring a hard copy for use in class on Thursday; read TG pp. 83-85 and 185-187.

Oct 7 In-class writing activities, including work on organization; discussion of essay exams. Homework: finish draft of Paper Two for peer review and submit to your peer reviewers by 11:59pm on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12th.

Week Eight

Oct 12 NO CLASS— FALL BREAK. Homework: Submit peer reviews of Paper Two to your peers by THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14th at 11:59pm.

Oct 14 NO CLASS—DR. WEBB-SUNDERHAUS IS PRESENTING AT THE WATSON CONFERENCE. Homework: Continue drafting Paper Two; read pp. 23-35.

Week Nine

Oct 19 Introduce Paper Three; writing activities and discussion of reading. Homework: PAPER TWO DRAFT DUE AT YOUR CONFERENCE. Bring a digital or hard copy to your mid-term conference. Write an assessment of your progress in the course so far and bring it to your midterm conference as well.

Oct 21 NO CLASS—MID-TERM CONFERENCES. Homework: read TG pp. 153-177 and take the library tour and quiz, found at http://www.lib.ipfw.edu/583.html.

Week Ten

Oct 26 In-class work with library databases and evaluating sources. Homework: read IPFW pp. 35-37.

Oct 28 Discussion of MLA style. Homework: read TG pp. 94-102 and 133-135. Bring a digital copy of your most recent draft of Paper Two to class.

Week Eleven

Nov 2 Work with readings; in-class writing activities on sentence structure. Homework: read TG pp. 135-149 and 157-62. Bring a hard copy of Paper Three to class.

Nov 4 Work with readings; in-class writing activities on punctuation. Homework: Keep drafting Paper Three; read handout on reflective writing (Norton Guide p. 229).

Week Twelve

Nov 9 Introduce Paper Four; in-class writing activities based on handout. Homework: finish draft of Paper Three for peer review and submit to your peer reviewers by 11:59pm tonight.

Nov 11 NO CLASS--submit peer reviews of Paper Three to your peers by 11:59pm tonight. Homework: revise draft of Paper Three and bring hard copies of all draft materials to class.

Week Thirteen

Nov 16 DRAFT OF PAPER THREE DUE. Editing day. Homework: work on Paper Four draft and bring a hard copy for use in Thursday’s class.

Nov 18 In-class work with drafts in progress. Homework: finish draft of Paper Four for peer review and submit to your peer reviewers by 11:59pm tonight.

Week Fourteen

Nov 23 NO CLASS--submit peer reviews of Paper Four to your peers by 11:59pm tonight. Homework: revise draft of Paper Four and bring a hard copy to our next class.

Nov 25 NO CLASS—HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Week Fifteen

Nov 30 DRAFT OF PAPER FOUR DUE. Editing day.

Dec 2 Exit conferences

Week Sixteen

Dec 7 Exit conferences

Dec 9 Exit conferences

ALL FINAL REVISIONS OF PAPERS TWO-FOUR ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 11:59 P.M. ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16th!

***HAVE A GREAT WINTER BREAK!!!***

Appendix 3: Personal narrative assignment, ENG W129

Dr. Webb-Sunderhaus

ENG W129—AU10

Paper One

One of the major themes of My Freshman Year revolves around not fitting in with others. Rebekah Nathan, as a non-traditional “student” who wasn’t really a student, writes often in the book about how she never truly fit in with the students she met at AnyU. While Nathan’s particular situation is highly unusual, almost all of us can relate to feeling different from, or misunderstood by, others. This option asks you to write a narrative that describes and analyzes a time when you did not “fit in.” In other words, I am asking you to write a true, non-fiction story about a time when you felt different or misunderstood. This could be a story about a time when you didn’t go along with the crowd, when you realized that perhaps your goals in life were different from those of your friends, or when you discovered that you didn’t think the same way as your family. This story does not have to center on fitting in at school; you can write about other contexts such as your family, work, church, neighborhood, community activities, etc.

This should be the story of one incident; in other words, do not try to cover a year or two in four pages! While you may feel that you never “fit in” during high school, for example, narrow your focus to one situation that exemplifies this feeling. The main thing to remember for this option is that your focus needs to be on a one-time event, as opposed to a phenomenon spread out over several months or years.

Your paper must be four-five pages long and typed, using 12-point font and MLA format. A draft must be submitted for peer review by Tuesday, September 14th at 11:59pm, and you must return feedback to your peers by Thursday, September 16th at 11:59pm. A draft will be turned in to me by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21st. I will respond to your draft and return it to you with comments. You will then revise your draft and submit it for grading (again, with all previous work attached) at the beginning of class on October 5th.

Appendix 4: Textual analysis assignment, ENG W129

Dr. Webb-Sunderhaus

ENG W129—AU 2010

As you know, My Freshman Year describes what happened when a professor decided to go back to school and learn what it was like to be a college student today. For this assignment, you will compare and contrast Rebekah Nathan’s college experience with that of your own to this point in your first semester. Using examples from the book and your life, you should discuss how Nathan’s experiences are similar to, and different from, yours. After reading this book and thinking about your own life at IPFW, do you think there is one single, universal “college experience"? Are there parts of college life that all students share? These are the types of questions you should consider and answer, and once again, you should use examples from the reading and your experiences to support your reasoning.

This assignment will not use a typical essay format. Instead, you will write a letter to Cathy Small—aka Rebekah Nathan—that addresses the above points. If you could talk with her about being a college student today, what would you say? Dr. Small will be speaking to the professors here at IPFW shortly before the start of next semester, and I plan on compiling your responses and letting her know how you think your experiences in college compare with what she describes in her book.

This project has two parts; both must be typed, using 12 point Times New Roman font and MLA format. The first part is a writer’s memo—addressed to me—that reflects on the assignment, the choices you made, what parts you think went well, and what parts you would especially like my feedback on. This memo should be at least a page. The second part of the assignment is the letter to Dr. Small, which should be two-three pages in length.

A draft of both parts of the assignment must be ready for peer review on Tuesday, October 12th at 11:59pm, and you must return feedback to your peers by Thursday, October 14th at 11:59pm. A draft will be turned in to me at your mid-term conference. At that time, I will respond to your draft and return it to you with comments. You will then revise your draft and submit it for grading on a due date of your choice, but no later than 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 16th.

Appendix 5: Self-designed research project assignment, ENG W129

Dr. Webb-Sunderhaus

English W129—AU 10

The purpose of this paper is to give you the opportunity to research a question about an issue raised in My Freshman Year that hasn’t been addressed to your satisfaction in this course. Since you are a college student and have spent a semester discussing and writing about various aspects of college life, you clearly have some knowledge of this topic. However, you undoubtedly still have some questions. This assignment gives you a chance to formulate some of those questions and to design a research project that explores, if not answers, them. The questions and issues you decide to focus on should relate to the themes of the book.

So far, I’ve given you fairly rigid guidelines for your projects; this time, I want you to design your own project. You must have a clear, public audience and purpose for this research project. For whom do you want to answer this question or explore this issue? Why do you want to respond to this question? Finally, why is this question important to you and your audience? Your audience and purpose will affect the form and genre in which you choose to write. You’ll need to decide what’s appropriate for your project, and you’ll need to account for that decision. There are many possibilities: editorial, letter, magazine article, short film, website, etc., but you may not write a traditional, academic research paper. Whatever you choose, you must address this choice in a writer’s memo, explaining why you believe this form is most appropriate for your purpose and audience.

Depending on the genre of your project, you may not cite sources in the ways traditional academic essays require. However, you MUST research your project and use your sources as evidence in your project. When you turn in this project, you must also submit a Works Consulted page that lists the sources you used for this project (we’ll review how to create such a document in class). You must also write a one-page writer’s memo that reflects on your research question, your audience, and your genre (in other words, I’ll want to know why you chose this question, this audience, this genre).

The length of this project is dependent on your research question, audience, and genre. A draft must be submitted for peer review by Thursday, November 5th at 11:59 p.m. You must return your review of your peers’ papers by Tuesday, November 10th at 11:59 p.m. A draft (with all previous work attached) must be turned in to me at the beginning of class on Thursday, November 12th. I will respond to your draft and return it to you with comments, but no grade. You will then revise your draft and submit it for final grading (again, with all previous work attached) no later than noon on Thursday, December 17th.

Appendix 6: Self-reflection assignment, ENG W129

Dr. Sara Webb-Sunderhaus

ENG W129—AU10

For your final paper, you will write a writer’s reflection. The purpose of this narrative is for you to reflect on the progress you have made as a writer so far in your college career. This writing should focus on YOUR evaluation of yourself as a writer. In other words, I am not interested in merely hearing you merely parrot what I’ve said to you about your writing this semester (i.e., “You say I still need to work on using more detail, so I guess I do”). Instead, ask yourself such questions as, “Where was I with my writing at the beginning of the semester? Where am I today? What did I believe about writing then? What do I believe today?”. I encourage you to look back at your other papers to gauge your writing over the semester. Using those assignments as a point of comparison with your later writing could be an excellent strategy for this paper.

As you think about yourself as a writer and how you’ve grown, remember to look beyond the surface area of your writing, i.e. grammar and mechanics, and instead concentrate on global writing issues, such as organizing thoughts, supporting points, using specific details, etc. It’s fine to spend some time on the lower-order concerns; just don’t let comma splices become the focus of the paper.

You may choose the form of your project. In the past, some students have chosen to write a traditional narrative essay, while many others have chosen to write a letter addressed to me. I have also received letters addressed to a student’s mother, the university’s chancellor, and a student’s high school English teacher, all of which were very effective. In the end, however, this project must reflect what you think of yourself as a writer and your writing.

This paper must be four-five pages and typed, using 12-point font and MLA format. A draft must be submitted for peer review by Thursday, November 18th at 11:59 p.m. You must return your review of your peers’ papers by Tuesday, November 23rd at 11:59 p.m. A draft must be turned in to me by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30th. I will respond to your draft and return it to you with comments, but no grade. You will then revise your draft and submit it for final grading (again, with all previous work attached) by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 16th.

Appendices from “The Kairotic Moment” from Composition Forum 23 (Spring 2011)
Online at: http://compositionforum.com/issue/23/ipfw-appendices.php
© Copyright 2011 Sara Webb-Sunderhaus and Stevens Amidon.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.

Return to “The Kairotic Moment: Pragmatic Revision of Basic Writing Instruction at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne”.