Calendar for Writing 20 Winter 2009

Calendar of assignments for Writing 20 Sections 3 and 4.
Tim Fitzmaurice Winter 2009
Texts: Ainsworth, Alan, 75 Arguments (2008); Canada, Geoffrey, fist stick knife gun (1995); Albom, Mitch, Tuesdays With Morrie (1997).

Week 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ACADEMIC ESSAY
1/7 Wed Introductions to the syllabus and to the ELWR requirements.
Assignments: Write a one-page response to “A Theory of Idleness” handout. Write a one-page profile of another student. Read for discussion the essays in Ainsworth 52-59& 138-141 & 114-117. Assignments: Write a brief note to tell me where the thesis is and whether the essay worked. You will speak about this orally in class.
1/9 Fri Introduction of another student is due. Assignment: Read in Ainsworth, Chapter 2 on Censorship. I will assign specific essays. Write your opinion of censoring violence or obscenity. Extra Credit: See Ainsworth, 353, Bertrand Russell “In Praise of Idleness,” a terrific essay on work. Write a response about it to me on email. (timfitz@ucsc.edu)

Week 2 PURPOSE & THESIS: OPENING THE ESSAY
1/12 Mon Assignments: Write a thesis for essay 1. Write an analysis of a quote you intend to use in your essay.
1/14 Wed Assignment: Write a draft of Essay one. SEE YOUR TUTOR!
1/16 Fri Essay 1 is due. Assignments: Read Ainsworth essays pp. 157, 169, 172; Chapter 9 especially pp. 406, 419, 421, 425, 428. I will assign essays for you to focus on over the next week or two. Our next meeting is next Wednesday. Bring in a two-page response to an essay in this group. What is the author’s purpose? How do they make their point? What is your opinion? You have assignments for MLK Day & the Inauguration too.

Week 3 DEVELOPING ESSAYS: ESSAY STRUCTURE
1/19 Mon Holiday Assignments: Read on MLK (Ainsworth 279 & 414) Write a 2-page response to these essays or to the Convocation speaker. Take notes on the Inauguration.
1/21 Wed Assignment: Write a reaction to the Inauguration.
1/23 Fri. Assignments: Read Essays from Chapter 7 on Marriage and Divorce. I will assign specific essays. Write an approach or a thesis for Essay 2 on Identity and Culture.

Week 4 SUPPORTING ESSAY: ANALYZING & INTERPRETING TEXTS
1/26 Mon Assignments: Refine your thesis and choose quotable supporting material to analyze for Essay 2. Write the quotes (about three) and your analysis in a page or so.
1/28 Wed
1/30 Fri Essay 2 is due. Assignments: Read Geoffrey Canada’s book, fist stick knife gun, Part 1. Write a response to one section. I will assign the section.

Week 5 REVISING: A WRITER’S GRAMMAR & RHETORIC
2/2 Mon Assignments: Read Canada Part 2. Write a response to one section.
2/4 Wed Assignments: Read essays from Ainsworth Chapter 1 and the Introduction.
2/6 Fri Assignments: Read Canada Part 3. Write a thesis for Essay 3. You can begin to write the rough draft.

Week 6 REVISING: SENTENCE STRUCTURE & STYLE
2/9 Mon Assignment: Write a Draft of Essay 3
2/11 Wed We will discuss revision.
2/13 Fri Essay 3 is due. Assignments: Read Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie to Page 100 and beyond. Write an example, a personal observation, of good education and bad education. Revise your essays 1 and 2.

Week 7 REVISING: STRUCTURE OF PARAGRAPHS—UNITY & COHERENCE
2/16 Mon Holiday
2/18 Wed We will discuss revision. Assignment: Revise your essays.
2/20 Fri A Revised Essay is due. Assignment: Read the last half of Albom.

Week 8 LOGIC, FACTS, TEXTS, AND EXAMPLES: TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT
2/23 Mon We will discuss revision.
2/25 Wed
2/27 Fri Two Revised Essays are due. Assignment: Write your letter for the ELWR portfolio.

Week 9 IMMEDIATE WRITING
3/2 Mon We will discuss revision and in-class writing.
3/4 Wed In-Class essay for the ELWR. Don’t miss this class!
3/6 Fri All portfolios are due for ELWR. Assignment: Readings from Ainsworth on Technology and writing, Chapter 11.

Week 10 WRITING FROM EXPERIENCE
3/9 Mon Assignment: Write your theme and thesis for essay 4.
3/11 Wed Assignment: Write a personal experience to use as an opening for essay 4.
3/13 Fri

Week 11
3/16 Mon Final day of class—No final exam; all revisions & Essay 4 are due.

This calendar is subject to change. But the due dates should be correct and the readings might be adjusted but they are about right. I will ask you to write in class often and the source for those writings will include these essays as well as material I find elsewhere.

WRITING ASSISTANTS (tutors) for Sections 3 and 4
Amy Tom (atom@ucsc.edu)
Shannon Benson (shmbenso@ucsc.edu)
Roxanna Edica (redica@ucsc.edu)
Jake Pierce (jppierce@ucsc.edu)
Annika Namkung (anamkung@ucsc.edu)
Stephanie Yee (sxyee@ucsc.edu)