Author:
Stephanie Pesce
Subject:
Composition and Rhetoric
Material Type:
Reading, Unit of Study
Level:
Community College / Lower Division
Provider:
Middlesex Community College
Tags:
  • Composition
  • English 101
  • Mass CC ELA
  • Rhetoric
  • Writing Academic Essays
  • mass-cc-ela
  • writing method
  • writing-method
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Text/HTML

    Composition I

    Composition I

    Overview

    An introductory course that focuses on sentence and paragraph structure, title development, and writing by method, including narration, description, process, compare/contrast, cause and effect, persuasion, and more. A solid overview of citations and sources, as well as thesis statements and conclusions, is also provided. 

    ENG101 Composition I, Honors

    Welcome to English Composition I, Honors

    Introduction to Composition enables you to apply all the information you have learned in past writing classes to narrative, analytical, persuasive, and comparative writing, among other styles. Since writing will play a key role in many areas of your life - whatever you decide to do - this is an excellent opportunity to develop essential skills or advance your existing ones.  As an active participant in this class, you will engage in high-level group discussions and hone your writing skills in response to personalized feedback.

    Official Course Description

    English Composition I focuses on developing students’ academic writing, close reading, and critical thinking skills. Using a writing process that includes pre-writing, drafting, instructor and peer feedback, and revision, students will produce written essays with arguable thesis statements and appropriate use of standard English.  Students will produce a total of 18-24 pages of formal polished writing in three or more source-based essays.

    ISLOs: This course supports student development of Written and Oral Communications, Critical Thinking, and Social Responsibility. 
    Prerequisite(s): Placement into English 101 or completion of ENG 088, ENG 089, ENG 092, or ENG 093 with a B or better; or completion of ENG 099 with a C- or better.
    Note(s): This course has been approved to meet the Core curriculum General Education Requirement.

    Learning Outcomes

    1. Demonstrate comprehension and reflective reading skills, as well as the ability to annotate a text through a variety of methods
    2. Interpret, engage with, and analyze various texts
    3. Use a writing process that includes pre-writing, drafting, instructor and peer feedback, and revision to produce written essays with arguable thesis statements and appropriate use of standard English
    4. Quote, paraphrase, begin to synthesize source material, and document appropriately to maintain academic integrity
    5. Begin to recognize rhetorical strategies and to incorporate them appropriately in their writing
    6. Complete formal and/or informal writing and/or oral assignments that ask students to identify one or more of the following dimensions of an issue or topic: ethical, social, civic, multicultural, and/or socio-economic.

    Our Course Method

    In order to encourage you to find out what a good writer you can be, as well as how writing can help you in many practical areas of your life, our class method relies heavily on reading, responding, and practice. This involves peer editing, group discussion, and reading and analysis of assignments. One of the most important elements of this class is discussion. Because editing and discussion are so important to the development of writing skills, it is critical to attend class meetings/sessions regularly and to treat others with respect. Outside of class, be aware of topics or articles that might be worth discussing in class – it will always help your participation grade if you bring up a relevant or interesting article during class discussion.

    • If a student demonstrates a lack of respect for classmates, I will schedule an appointment to discuss the appropriateness of that student remaining in the class. It is expected that you will follow the principles of the MCC Honor Code. Please see Code or ask if you have questions.
    • Appropriate behavior includes coming to class meetings on time.

    If you have any questions that are not addressed in class, just ask me, either during class time, by chat/meeting, or e-mail. The same is true if you miss a session and need clarification. You are responsible for all assignments regardless of whether you miss the session or not.  

    Introductions and Basics

    Importance of Titles

    As we begin our class, we will focus, both as readers and writers, on the importance of titles to engage interest, set the tone, allude to symbols, and in, some cases, foreshadow the content of the works we will be reading and writing.

    Importance of Titles

    Hairston, Maxine, and Michael Keene. Successful Writing. 5th ed. New York: Norton, 2003.

    Title exercise adapted from Richard Leahy's “Twenty Titles for the Writer.” College Composition and Communication 43.4 (1992): 516–519. JSTOR. University Libraries, U of Minnesota. 19 July 2007 .

     

    Purpose, Audience, and Tone

    It is similarly important to establish the purpose of each essay that we write and read as well as the audience for which it is intended. These elements of purpose and audience will inform tone and help us determine the writing mode or method (which will be covered in Section II).

    Purpose, Audience, and Tone

    Writing for Success

    Chapter 6

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Understanding the Academic Audience

    UNC Writing Center

    Grammar and Writing: Basics and Mechanics

    For some of you, this will be redundant, but we can all absolutely benefit from a refresher on sentence structure, paragraph construction, and creating a powerful thesis. The below materials will help refresh/refine your skills and contribute to the inverted pyramid structure that we explore in class. 

     

    Review of Mechanics

    Writing For Success, Chapters 2 and 3

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Complex Sentences

    (This relates to our Discussion Board Introductions)

    Independent Marker Words

    CC BY, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. It is attributed to Katie Durant.

    Fragment and Run On Sentences (see PDF)

    Use the file below ("Fragments") for review!

    CC BY, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. It is attributed to Katie Durant.

    Overview of (and breaking away from) the five-paragraph essay

    The “High School” Essay

    UNC Writing Center

    The Perfect Paragraph

    Writing in College, Chapter 3: Constructing the Thesis and Argument—From the Ground Up

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Beyond Basics: Constructing Your Thesis and Argument

    Writing in College, Chapter 3: Constructing the Thesis and Argument—From the Ground Up

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Common Writing Mistakes

    Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    UW Writing Center

    And to conclude....conclusions! See the file "Creating Compelling Conclusions" below. 

     

    The Writing Methods (Rhetorical Modes)

    Overview of the Writing Methods/Modes

    Your purpose and audience will determine the Rhetorical Mode/Method you choose. In this course, we will practice reading and writing (and pre-writing!) Narration, Description, Exemplification (Illustration), Definition, Process, Analysis (not listed in the diagram below), Persuasion, Compare/Contrast, and Cause/Effect.

    Image: CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Read the basic overviews below to get started, and we will discuss all this material step-by-step as we work through examples and assignments related to each method.

    Overview of Methodologies (Rhetorical Modes)

    Lumen

    Text: Rhetorical Modes. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution

    Each Rhetoric Mode In Depth

    Excelsior Online Writing Lab

     

    NARRATION

    The primary purpose of narration is to tell a story, so authors (including you!) will choose narration if they have a story to relay to a particular audience; however, there are often others purposes as well, such as to share a perspective, provide catharsis for the writer, to teach a lesson, and more, all of which we will discuss in detail during our class meetings. In addition to a clear thesis statement and logical, chronological transitions, there are other hallmarks of narrative writing to be mindful of. Here is an in-depth discussion of NARRATION as a mode (click “read book” and then on “Contents” to scroll down to Chapter 5 and the narrative option) and our class readings, the questions for which are located in the Weekly Work unit in Blackboard.

    Narrative Readings

    DESCRIPTION

    The primary purpose of description is to convey a story with a focus on feeling rather than plot; transitions will be more sensory and vivid rather than the chronological, time-based approach narration takes.  A thesis in Descriptive Writing contains a dominant impression, which conveys the main feelings/sensations that the author intends to share with the reader. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Description.

    Descriptive Readings

    • Manning, “Arm Wrestling With My Father”
    • “Best Pizza In The World,” an excerpt from Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir Eat, Pray, Love, which chronicled her journey alone around the world, looking for solace after a difficult divorce. (It was also a 2010 movie with Julia Roberts). 

    EXEMPLIFICATION

    The primary purpose of EXEMPLIFICATION is to provide several examples that clearly support and illustrate a broad thesis statement, or generalization. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Exemplifcation.

    Exemplification/Illustration Readings

    DEFINITION

    The purpose of DEFINITION is to define a word or term in a more meaningful way than a simple dictionary definition; this may involve sharing a new perspective on a familiar term or introducing a new word that has recently emerged or acquired a different meaning. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Definition.

    Definition Readings

    PROCESS WRITING

    The primary purpose of a PROCESS essay is to explain how to do something or how something works. In this type of writing, the process is articulated into clear, definitive steps and is written in a style similar to narrative, with a clear thesis and sequential stages. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Process.

    Process Readings

    ANALYSIS WRITING

    Analysis is our trickiest mode. For us, the purpose is to break something down into parts or to look at a concept or term through a specific lens and then support that interpretation with primary and secondary sources.

    Analysis Readings

    PERSUASION WRITING

    The primary purpose of a PERSUASION essay is to combine evidence and emotional appeal to change a reader’s mind.  We will practice persuasive writing, read example essays, and engage in a class debate this semester. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Persuasion and HOW TO FORM AN ARGUMENT.

    Persuasion Readings

    COMPARE/CONTRAST WRITING

    The primary purpose of COMPARE/CONTRAST is to discuss elements that are similar (compare) or explore elements that are different (contrast). A good compare/contrast essay focuses on two or more subjects that connect or diverge in a meaningful or unexpected way. Your purpose is not to state the obvious, but to illuminate the subtle differences or similarities. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Compare/Contrast.

    Compare/Contrast Readings

    CAUSE AND EFFECT WRITING

    The primary purpose of CAUSE AND EFFECT is to determine how phenomena relate in terms of origin and result.

    A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from the event or condition. While some connections between cause and effect are obvious, determining the exact relationship between the two can be challenging. Read Chapter 5, Let’s Get Writing, Rhetorical Modes: Cause/Effect.

    Cause and Effect Readings

    The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results.

    Research and Citations

    Citations can be challenging; The format must be right, you need to be thorough and attentive, your sources need to be diverse, and you are always seeking a better way to smoothly integrate them. Despite the mild annoyance, they are critical, and the good news is there are many sources and sites that can easily walk you through this process. First, check out an overview from the MIT Library about the importance of citations.

    We will go through the following material together, with some practice exercises and pre-writing.

     

    Considering Sources

    Writing in College, Chapter 3: Constructing the Thesis and Argument—From the Ground Up

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Primary VS. Secondary Sources

    Purchase College

    Using Secondary Support

    Writing in College, Chapter 3: Constructing the Thesis and Argument—From the Ground Up

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise

    How To Cite: A Short Video

    UNC Writing Center

    APA vs MLA and integration

    Writing For Success, Chapter 13

    CC BY NC SA, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Proofreading

    In The English Corner

    Common Writing Mistakes

    Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison