|
National
University
English 365: Creative Writing |
|
National
University
English 365: Creative Writing |
| National University |
| Fall 2001 |
| Syllabus English 365: Creative Writing |
| Monday and Wednesday, 5:30-10:00 (0ctober 29, 31 [research], November 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, and 21) and Saturday 8:00-12:30 (November 17 [performance] and 24 [final examination]) |
| Dr. LaMay 909-941-2162 (message) website: drlamay.com |
Course Description: Creative Writing is an advanced, upper-division writing course that emphasizes sophisticated and challenging modes of discourse, including short story, poetry, drama, screenwriting, analysis, orality, performance, and research.
Course Objectives: Students will be able to read and to assess writing models for issues of form and content. Students will also be able to edit one another’s work and offer verbal and written critiques. At the end of the course, each student will be able to write an effective piece within the modes studied that evidences attention to craft and to methods of organization. A compilation of works will result in a self-generated creative portfolio. With revision, work from this class should be suitable for publication.
Required Text: Students will pick an author from a genre in which they want to conduct in-depth research this semester (fiction, drama, poetry, or screenwriting). Once students have chosen an author and a genre, they will choose a book (at least 250 pages in length) by the author that exemplifies the chosen genre.
Required Supplies: journal, mini-journal, portfolio, and one large Blue Book
Requirements:
1. Students will be required to read and to journal one college-level text (at least 250 pages, one journal entry per chapter/poem/section) and write a research paper on the author/genre (10-15 pages, MLA format, annotated Works Cited, five direct quotations, five sources and five journal entries on those sources).
2. Students will make thirty-minute oral presentations on their research on the chosen author/genre and submit a copy of the presentation (five pages, typed, MLA format, 19 & 21 November). 3. Students will go on a field trip to view a live performance of their chosen genre and write a five-page summary and analysis paper (MLA format, typed, copy of program, 17 November). 4. Students will write a piece in their chosen genre of study (ten pages, typed, MLA format, entire process, 24 November)
Writing assignments will be evaluated for both composition and content, and the final course grade will be based on the following percentages: research paper 20%, oral presentation 10%, field trip 10%, student creative piece 10%, final examination 20%, quiz 10%, mini-journal and reading journal 10%, in-class and homework 10%.
Grading Scale Percentages: A=100-93, A-=92-90, B+=89-87, B=86-84, B-83-81, C+80-78, C=77-74, D+=73-68, D=67-63, D-=62-55, F=54-0
Homework will be assigned daily, and in week four a quiz will be given that covers all materials and readings up to that point. Each student will maintain a reading journal that records each assigned reading, a summary of that reading, and reactions to the texts and a mini-journal that records dreams, observations, and thoughts. Students will also keep a portfolio, which will include all drafts, submissions, revisions, quiz, and in-class and homework.
All assignments must be completed for students to receive credit for the course. No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted, and students are responsible for all assignments that
are assigned in their absence, and this work will be due on the regularly scheduled day.Class participation and discussion (as well as prompt attendance) are expected, required, and essential, for the class will be in seminar format and all members must contribute. Any student missing two classes will automatically be dropped from the course. Students who disrupt the harmony of the class (by being disrespectful) will be dismissed from the classroom.
Plagiarism (and other forms of cheating) will not be tolerated; these students will receive an "F" in the course and a conference with the dean.
Assignments:
Week One: Introductions and Expectations
Monday, 29 October and Wednesday, 31 Oct. 2001 (research)
The writing process
Homework: proposal/abstract (four pages, typed) that covers the book, presentation, performance, and creative writing. Choose genre/author/text and read and journal (copy table of contents)
Week two: screenwriting
Monday, 5 November and Wednesday, 7 November
The writing process
Workshop proposals/abstracts
Homework:
Rough draft research paper and student project
Week three: poetry
Monday, 12 November and Wednesday, 14 November
The writing process
Workshop research paper and student projects
Homework:
Rough Draft performance paper
Saturday, 17 November (performance)
Week four: Student Presentations
Monday, 19 November and Wednesday, 21 November
Quiz
Workshop performance papers
conferences
Grade calculation
Course evaluation
Homework:
portfolio (with table of contents and entire process)
1. creative writing
2. presentation
3. research paper (with entire process)
4. journal (with checklist)
5. mini-journal
6. envelope (with appropriate postage)
Saturday, 24 November, 8:00, final examination (Blue Book) and quiz
Your continued attendance in this class is acknowledgment that you have read and understand this syllabus and your agreement to abide by the conditions described therein.
Research Proposal/Abstract
Due date: 5 November
31 October has been set aside as a research day in which students are to conceptualize, research, and write a proposal/abstract that covers the book, performance, creative writing, and presentation that each student will complete during the semester. Each proposal will fit the individual choices each student makes to ensure that all four parts of the assignment work together into one harmonious whole. Students will workshop the proposals during week two (5 & 7 November).
Assignment:
1. choose a creative genre (fiction, drama, poetry, or screenwriting)
2. select a well-known author who writes in the genre
3. select a well-known text by the author
4. read the work
5. write one journal entry for every poem, chapter, or section
6. copy the table of contents from the book
7. select a genre-specific performance(17 November)
8. decide on how to approach your own creative piece
9. decide how you will present your creative piece to the class (19 & 21 November)
Form:
Research Paper Assignment Due Date: 24 November1. MLA format
2. four pages
3. typed
4. one page per item (text/author, performance, creative, presentation)
Students will pick an author from a genre in which they want to conduct in-depth research this semester (fiction, drama, poetry, or screenwriting). Once students have chosen an author and a genre, they will choose a book (at least 250 pages in length) by the author that exemplifies the chosen genre.
Students will be required to read and to journal one college-level text (at least 250 pages, one journal entry per chapter/poem/section) and write a research paper on the
author/genre (10-15 pages, MLA format, annotated Works Cited, five direct quotations, five sources and five journal entries on those sources).Process:
_____ final draft, new Works Cited,
_____ rough draft
_____ Works Cited typed
_____ five sources
_____ five journal entries
_____ table of contents
_____ journal entries from text chapters
_____ class notes
_____ outline
_____ cluster
Dr. LaMay's Research Paper Comments
MLA Format/Presentation/Beauty Aspect:
header (top right hand corner--last name page #), heading (top left hand
corner--yours, mine, ours, date, optional line), title, 1" margins (right
margin unjustified), 12 font, Times New Roman, double space, paragraphs indented
five spaces, long quotations indented ten spaces from left margin (right margin
stays 1" unjustified), no coffee stains, bent edges, scribbles, or White
Out–staple or clip entire process together before class
Process:
presentation draft, student explanations regarding all comments on final draft,
writing center visits (with proof of attendance), final draft (with new Works
Cited), rough draft, Works Cited, one direct quotation per source, five current
sources, five journal entries (one full page, handwritten, summary, and
opinion), outline, cluster, in-class topic exercise
Paragraphing:
1. Form: topic sentence, proof x3, (direct quotation form when applicable)
closing sentence
2. The average paragraph is fourteen lines.
3. Every paragraph must prove the thesis statement.
4. Only one idea per paragraph
Direct Quotation Form:
author of quotation, whether the quotation proves or disproves the thesis
statement, direct quotation, citation, context sentence
Essay Form:
introduction (general statement, define terms, other side [if applicable], three
sentences, thesis statement), body (see "paragraphing" above, the body
of the essay proves the thesis
statement), conclusion (re-state thesis, what learned/significant, no new
information)
Thesis Statement:
A thesis statement is a focused sentence (last sentence of the first paragraph)
that clearly states the main point of the essay or what the essay (in the body
paragraphs) is going to prove.
Grammar:
College level writing is free of excessive grammar errors.
Logic/Argument:
The argument will not contain logical flaws or fallacies.
Organization:
The relationship between the parts of the essay must be clear.
Students will be assessed on the quality of their written expression.
Journal Checklist
Page(s) in your journal
_____ mini-journal
_____ abstract proposal (with copy of table of contents)
_____ book journal entries
_____ in-class Seinfeld
_____ in-class poetry
_____ course evaluation
_____ grade calculation
Class Projects
_____ research project
_____ oral presentation
_____ performance
_____ creative piece
_____
quiz _____ final examination
Final Grade Calculation
_____ 1. author/genre research paper
_____ 2. author/genre research paper
_____ 3. oral presentation
_____ 4. performance
_____ 5. creative piece
_____ 6. in-class and homework
_____ 7. quiz
_____ 8. journal (with checklist) and mini-journal
_____ 9. final examination
_____ 10. final examination
A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, 0/F=0
The final course grade will be based on the following percentages: research paper 20%, oral presentation 10%, field trip 10%, student creative piece 10%, final examination 20%, quiz 10%, mini-journal and reading journal 10%, in-class and homework 10%.
Grading Scale Percentages:
A=100-93, A-=92-90, B+=89-87, B=86-84, B-83-81, C+80-78, C=77-74, D+=73-68, D=67-63, D-=62-55, F=54-0
