Course Requirements
Attendance is required and necessary since this is a participation-oriented class. More than three absences are grounds for failure. There will be times in the semester when you really need the days off, so don’t miss class without good reason.
If you know you are going to miss a class, let me know. You are responsible for finding out what you missed and what assignments are due for the next class. If you miss a class, FIRST, ask your classmates, then feel free to ask me. Missed assignments will not be excused because of absences. Athletes: any special arrangements for athletes must be made with the professor at least two week prior to the event.
Do not come late to class. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late, for any reason, you will be marked as absent. Likewise for leaving class early. Also, three times tardy equals an absence. Late attendance and absences will affect your participation grade. 10% will be deducted from your final grade for each class you miss after the first three.
You are expected to be prepared for every meeting. This means completing all reading and writing assignments on time. Failure to do so will greatly affect your participation grade.
ASSESSMENTS (reading responses, short assignments, in-class work & quizzes)- I believe that the best writing is derived from good reading; therefore, this class is reading intensive. I try to balance the reading load by giving you time to respond to the reading in class. In order to encourage you to keep up with the reading and to ensure your preparedness to participate in class discussions, you should expect to be asked to respond to your reading (textbook or handouts) in class every day. These in-class reading responses will sometimes take the form of quizzes, sometimes they will be a written response to a particular prompt, and sometimes they may be more creative or experimental. They may even be oral responses or participation responses, sometimes. They will require that you read the assigned texts thoroughly in order to be successful. You will need to be active readers! As opposed to reading journals, these responses will become a record of your thinking about your reading and classwork and will become an occasion for you to reflect and make connections. I will also sometimes give a short in-class assignment, quiz, or in-class work to assess your reading comprehension. Assessments will be worth 15% of your final grade.
- Along with preparing you to be a better reader, this class will help you develop as a writer. Reading the writing of others helps you read your own writing more carefully and critically. Therefore, you will be responsible for responding to the writing of your peers. You will respond through constructive comments during in class workshops. You will also be responsible for at least one written response each workshop day. You will submit thorough thoughtful comments that your assigned writer can act on in their revisions. Writing responses will be worth 10% of your final grade.
- You will be responsible for three creative nonfiction stories–memoir/personal essay, nature/ecology essay, literary journalism, plus revisions. These works will be discussed more fully in separate assignment sheets. Please read and reread these assignment sheets and follow them closely. These writing assignments will be worth 10% apiece for 30% total.
- During the semester, you will be required to attend TWO artistic events, either on- or off-campus. One of these events must be writing-oriented; that is, a reading or lecture given by an established creative writer.
- You will be asked to attend your event, stay for the entire duration, be a thoughtful and attentive audience member, and write a response paper.
- If you are enrolled in another course taught by me with this requirement, you may use ONE event twice. However, your response papers will focus on different elements to the event, and you will need to speak with me before you submit your response papers. Artistic Community Response paper will be worth 5% of your final grade.
- In addition to your mandatory writing conference, I encourage you to take advantage of my office hours to receive individualized instruction and feedback. If you would like to discuss your writing with me in addition conferences, please e-mail me to arrange a meeting. My office hours can be found on the first page of this syllabus.
- If you have concerns about your grade, the sooner you talk to me about it, the sooner we can make a difference. Writers Conference grade will be worth 5% of your final grade.
- An important aspect of creative writing is the ability to present your work through a public reading. You will be asked to pick a favorite poem or portion of a short story or essay and read it to the class (three to five minute limit). Creative Writer presentation grade will be worth 10% of your final grade.
- Participation points are earned for thoughtful, productive discussion and contributions and journal entries. Participation grade will be worth 10% of your final grade.
- This final portfolio will give you a chance to return once more to your writing and make it as successful as it can be. At the end of the semester after the reading and workshops are completed, and after you have received criticism from me and your classmates, you will apply your new knowledge and experience to your creative works one last time. The final portfolio will be a testament to your understanding of yourself as a writer. It will consist of 18 to 30 pages of perfectly revised writing and a two-page reflection. It will be bound in a folder or binder. Think of this portfolio as your professional work, ready for submission. Your portfolio will be worth 15% of your final grade.