Benjamin Miller email: bmm2104@columbia.

edu o##ice: $10 % iloso& y 'all o##ice ours: (B, and by a&&ointment

University Writing Englis !1010.00" () 1:10 * 2:2+&m %u&in -aboratories 412

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University Writing see3s to 4elcome and integrate students into t e virtual barrage o# 4ritten e5c ange t at #orms t e intellectual li#e o# t e university. Em& asi6ing critical analysis7 revision7 collaboration7 and researc 7 t is course aims to translate t is academic conversation #rom a source o# an5iety to a source o# stimulation. /ver t e course o# t e semester7 you 4ill read and discuss te5ts #rom a number o# #ields7 com&lete regular in#ormal reading and 4riting e5ercises7 4rite several longer essays7 and underta3e a researc *based collaborative critical &roject o# your o4n design. ( roug &ersistent in8uiry and &ractice7 you 4ill learn s&eci#ic s3ills and #oster general abits o# mind im&ortant to your academic success.

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:ttendance and &artici&ation in all class activities %re&aration o# reading and 4riting e5ercises #or eac class and con#erence .om&letion o# #our #inis ed and titled essays7 eac accom&anied by at least one dra#t /ne grou& &resentation and discussion ;during &rogression t ree< Maintenance o# an online &ort#olio 4 ic 4ill contain all o# your essays7 dra#ts7 and e5ercises7 #rom 4 ic you 4ill select t e elements #or your mid*semester and #inal ard*co&y &ort#olios

Attendance and Participation 1 e5&ect t at everyone 4ill come to every class meeting. 1n a grou& t is small7 t e loss o# even one &artici&ant 4ea3ens t e discussion. 0lig tly di##erently7 you s ould be present in t e class: &er a&s t e best ;i# not t e only< 4ay to learn is to be o&en to t e &ossibility o# learning. ( is class is a seminar7 meaning t at you 4ill be reading a lot7 discussing ideas7 raising doubts etc= but it is also a 4or3s o&7 meaning t at a large &art o# 4 at you read7 discuss7 and interrogate 4ill be your 4or3 and t e 4or3 o# your &eers. W en giving #eedbac3 to a member o# t e class7 you may suggest s&eci#ic c anges7 i# you ave t em7 or res&ond more generally * but remember t at you are res&onding to roug dra#ts and e5ercises. :l4ays o##er 4 at you t in3 4ould be most el&#ul to you7 4ere it your 4or3 and not someone else>s.

Miller * UW syllabus * &age 2 o# ? 1# you 3no4 in advance t at you must miss more t an t ree classes ;because o# at letic or religious obligations7 #or e5am&le<7 &lease s&ea3 4it me before the fourth class meeting. Reading Assignments )eadings 4ill be dra4n &rimarily #rom t e library reserves. W ile all t e essays7 articles7 c a&ters7 etc. set aside #or t is course are 4ort reading7 only some 4ill be assigned= direct lin3s to t ese re8uired te5ts 4ill be available on .ourse4or3s. @ou are res&onsible #or &rinting and reading 4 atever te5t is assigned #or class and #or bringing it 4it you. 1n addition7 &lease obtain t e #ollo4ing te5tboo3s7 4 ic are available at -abyrint Boo3s: Boot 7 Wayne ..7 Aregory A. .olomb7 and Bose& M. Williams. The Craft of Research. 2nd ed. . icago: University o# . icago %ress7 200$.
;.ontains sur&risingly good &resentation o# tec ni8ues7 not only #or conducting library researc 7 but also #or develo&ing and de#ending claims and t eses.<

'ac3er7 ,iana. A Pocket Style Manual7 4t Edition. 2e4 @or3: Bed#ord7 0t. Martin>s %ress7 2004.
;( e basic style guide &re#erred by .olumbia University. .ontains advice and guidelines #or sentence construction and grammar7 as 4ell as t e all*im&ortant standards #or citation and documentation.<

1n my comments to your 4ritten assignments7 1 may re#er you to a s&eci#ic section o# t e Pocket Style Manual ;as %0M< or The Craft of Research ;as .)<. 1>ll give you advance 4arning 4 en you need to bring any o# t ese te5tboo3s to class. Note: 1# you don>t ave a t oroug 7 com&re ensive dictionary7 1 recommend Merriam-Webster's Collegiate ictionary or t e American !eritage ictionary. 1n addition7 .olumbia &rovides online access to t e ine5 austible /5#ord Englis ,ictionary t roug -ibraryWeb. ;-oo3 under t e ,atabases lin3.<

Writing Assignments @ou 4ill do at least t ree ty&es o# 4riting in t is course: e"ercises7 #rafts7 and final essays. ( ese assignments connect 4it eac ot er in a develo&mental se8uence called a progression. We 4ill be 4or3ing on #our &rogressions t is semester7 eac ending in t e submission o# a &articular 3ind o# essay. :long t e 4ay7 you>ll receive #eedbac3 #rom me7 your &eers7 or yoursel# * usually a combination o# t e t ree. $"ercises: Writing e5ercises are designed to el& you generate ideas and &ractice use#ul s3ills= you mig t also t in3 o# t em as ste&&ing*stones to t e essays you 4rite. 1n most cases7 4e>ll use ome4or3 e5ercises in t e class #ollo4ing t e assignment7 so be sure to com&lete t em on time. %lease &ost all 4riting e5ercises to .ourse4or3s discussion board7 bot as an attac ment and in t e body o# t e &osting.

Miller * UW syllabus * &age $ o# ? $"ploratory rafts: )esearc as s o4n t at success#ul 4riters o#ten discover t eir central idea only a#ter t ey ave 4ritten e5tensively. :n e5&loratory dra#t does not aim to a&&ro5imate t e essay in its #inal #orm7 but instead attem&ts to de#ine t e &roblem you o&e to solve and test &otential y&ot eses. ( ese dra#ts are li3ely to be messy7 mar3ed by omissions7 digressions7 or lea&s o# t oug t. %ormal rafts: By contrast to t e e5&loratory 4riting o# t e e5ercises7 your #ormal dra#t 4ill re&resent t e very closest to a #inal &roduct you can come at t at &oint. ( is is 4 en t e essay begins to ta3e its #inal s a&e7 and to develo& an argument based on a claim. @ou s ould be &re&ared7 o4ever7 to ma3e ig *level adjustments a#ter receiving #eedbac3 in order to consider t e #ormal construction o# your ideas7 to discover ne4 ideas by e5&anding your t in3ing on t e &age7 or to &olis your essay #or &resentation to a reader. %inal $ssays: /nce you ave received #eedbac3 on your dra#t7 you 4ill &re&are a #inal essay to &ut in your &ort#olio. ( is #inal essay 4ill li3ely be 8uite di##erent #rom t e &revious dra#ts in #orm7 and o#ten in content7 in &art because t is is t e most &ublic 3ind o# 4riting you 4ill &roduce #or t is course. :ll #inal essays must * develo& a co erent argument in a com&elling 4ay * ave a t oug t#ul beginning7 middle7 and end * &resent and assess relevant evidence * communicate and engage 4it &otential readers * include a co&er letter to me7 e5&laining your goals #or and concerns about t e essay.

Assignment Formatting :ll 4ritten assignments must * be ty&ed using a standard seri# #ont ;eg. (imes 2e4 )oman< in 12&t7 4it one*inc margins7 double*s&aced * be sta&led7 4it your name and t e &age number ;C o# @< in t e u&&er rig t corner * include a 4ord count at t e end o# t e &a&er. * include a cover &age ;#or #inal essays< or #irst*&age eader ;#or e5ercises and dra#ts< 4it your #ull name7 t e date7 t e assignment number7 and t e course titleDsection number ;Univ. Writing * Engl !1010.00"< 1n addition7 t4o co&ies o# t e assignment must be &osted to .ourse4or3s: * as a re&ly to t e assignment on t e ,iscussion board * as an attac ment to t at re&ly7 in .doc or .rt# #ormat. 2ame your #iles li3e t is: Eassignmentty&e*&rogressionF*assignmentF*nameG. !or e5am&le7 my res&onse to t e second e5ercise in &rogression one 4ould be e5ercise*1*2*ben.rt#7 and my #irst #inal essay 4ould be essay*1*1*ben.rt#. ;: later revision o# t e #irst #inal essay mig t be called essay*1*2*ben.rt#.< Use t e to&ic>s title as a guideline as to assignment ty&e.

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Late and Missed Assignments :ll assignments must be turned in on time. E5ercises 4ill be discussed in class7 so t at late com&letions cannot be o##icially Hmade u&7H t oug 4or3ing t roug eac assignment on your o4n may el& you to com&lete later assignments. !or late dra#ts7 you 4ill still ave t e o&&ortunity #or revision7 but you may not receive timely or e5tensive comments i# your 4or3 comes in late. 2ote t at e5ercises and dra#ts are designed to build on one anot er= not com&leting any o# t ese assignments 4ill ave a cumulative negative e##ect on your #inal &roduct. 1# you antici&ate a &roblem7 let me 3no4 as soon as you do7 so t at 4e can 4or3 toget er to best resolve it. In general, no extensions will be granted within 2 ho!rs o" the deadline# E5tensions do not e5cuse you #rom com&leting any subse8uent assignments.

Plagiarism $ %on&t %o It ( is is a collaborative class7 in 4 ic 4e o##er eac ot er suggestions and constructive criticism. 'o4ever7 t e goal o# all t is collaboration is to clari#y t e e5&ression o# original i#eas * never to substitute someone else>s ideas #or our o4n7 or to im&ose our ideas on someone else. (o misre&resent t e origins o# an idea is plagiarism7 and it 4ill not be tolerated. 1# you 4ant to cite an outside source7 t ere are 4ays o# giving credit to t e original aut or= section $2 o# t e Pocket Style Manual &resents one standard met od o# documenting sources. 1# you ave any 8uestions7 don>t esitate to as37 because .olumbia ta3es a very ard stance on &lagiarism. 1t could get you e5&elled. 'ere>s an e5cer&t #rom .olumbia>s /##icial 0tatement on %lagiarism7 to give you t e #lavor:
1n ma3ing clear .olumbia>s &olicy on &lagiarism7 it is not #easible to include ere t e numerous #orms t at &lagiarism mig t ta3e. 1t is use#ul7 o4ever7 to list several obvious varieties in order to dis&el con#usion about 4 at t e .ollege 4ill not tolerate: 1. 0ubmitting essays7 or &ortions o# essays7 4ritten by ot er &eo&le as one>s o4n. 2. !ailing to ac3no4ledge7 t roug &ro&er #ootnotes and bibliogra& ic entries7 t e source o# ideas essentially not one>s o4n. $. !ailing to document &ara& rases7 ideas7 or verbatim e5&ressions not one>s o4n. 4. .ollaborating on an assignment or e5amination 4it out s&eci#ic &ermission #rom t e #aculty member to do so. 1n addition7 students may not submit an essay 4ritten #or one course to a second course 4it out &ermission #rom bot instructors.

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'xercises and %ra"ts 0ince t ese assignments are designed to el& you develo& and e5&eriment 4it ideas and language7 t ey 4ill not be individually graded. %artici&ation 4ill be noted7 o4ever7 and a &attern o# late or missed assignments ;or7 inversely7 consistently e5cellent 4or3< could a##ect your overall grade #or t e course. @ou 4ill receive some #orm o# #eedbac3 on all o# your 4riting. 1n addition to 4ritten comments #rom me7 you may ave &eer res&onses or sel#*re#lection= you>ll also meet 4it me #or at least t ree con#erences during t e semester to discuss t e 4or3 you>re doing. @ou are also encouraged to visit t e Writing .enter at any &oint in your 4riting &rocess ;see belo4<.

'ssa( )rading and *he Port"olio %aul IalJry said t at Ha &oem is never #inis ed7 only abandoned7H and 1 believe t e same is true o# essays. @ou are t ere#ore &ermitted * and encouraged * to continue revising and re#ining your essays7 even a#ter turning in a H#inalH version during eac &rogression. !or t is reason7 1 4ill not assign letter grades to individual essays7 but 4ill instead mar3 t em 4it additional comments. U&on re8uest7 1 4ill meet 4it you to discuss a &rovisional grade #or a given &a&er7 but t is grade is not binding7 and enters no #inal calculation. W ere7 t en7 do grades come #romK :t t e end o# t e semester7 you 4ill turn in a &ort#olio binder7 4 ic 4ill contain t e #ollo4ing: * * * your #irst t ree #inal essays7 revised to incor&orate ne4 #eedbac3 and ne4 s3ills= a retros&ective essay introducing t e &ort#olio7 in 4 ic you re#lect on your 4riting7 your revision7 and your selection o# material= u& to 1+ su&&lementary &ages o# dra#ts7 e5ercises7 and e5cer&ts t at you t in3 e##ectively demonstrates your range o# s3ills and develo&ment as a 4riter.

( is &ort#olio 4ill be read bot by me and by an instructor ot er t an me. We 4ill inde&endently assign t4o consecutive grades ;eg. :*DBL7 BLDB<. 1# t e grade ranges overla& by one7 t e overla&&ing grade 4ill be t e grade #or t e course= i# t e grade ranges overla& entirely7 t en 1 4ill c oose one o# t e t4o grades to be #inal. 1# t e grade ranges do not overla&7 a t ird reader 4ill be called in7 and t e same &rocedure 4ill a&&ly to 4 ic ever grade ranges no4 overla&. A#'ustments to reflect participation an# in&ol&ement (inclu#ing absences) may then be ma#e to this course gra#e.

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What: Where: When: +ow: Who: Wor3 4it a tutor on any &iece o# 4riting7 including academic essays7 senior &a&ers7 cover letters7 and a&&lications. Undergraduate Writing %rogram o##ice7 $10 % iloso& y 'all. Mon*( urs: 10*?= !ri: 10*+. 0ign u& #or an a&&ointment or sim&ly come by. :ny student enrolled in a .olumbia University course.

( e goal o# t e Writing .enter is to &roduce better 4riters and t in3ers in t e long term7 not necessarily &er#ect &a&ers in t e s ort term. ( ere#ore7 4e encourage you to tal3 4it a tutor early in t e 4riting &rocess. (utors 4ill 4or3 4it you at any stage in t e develo&ment o# your &a&er. @our tutor 4ill be an advanced graduate student 4it signi#icant training and classroom e5&erience teac ing 4riting at .olumbia. We encourage you to develo& an ongoing relations i& 4it a &articular tutor. ( at 4ay7 t e tutor 4ill get to 3no4 you as a 4riter and 4ill be better able to el& you im&rove. 'o4ever7 you are 4elcome to come #or dro&*in assistance or to 4or3 4it more t an one tutor. @ou s ould e5&ect to be actively involved in your tutoring session7 not to sit &assively 4 ile your tutor corrects your &a&er. @ou s ould consider t e tutoring session an o&&ortunity to ave an in*de&t conversation about your 4or3 4it an e5&erienced reader. !or more in#ormation7 email u4&tutors@columbia.edu or call ;212< ?+4*$??M * or just dro& by.

E*B/U)2:Eac summer t e Undergraduate Writing %rogram &ublis es online a selection o# e5em&lary essays 4ritten by students in University Writing during t e &receding academic year. 1# you are interested in seeing e5am&les o# strong University Writing essays #rom &ast sections7 1 invite you to bro4se t is journal7 4 ic is available at E tt&:DD444.columbia.eduDitcDu4&DjournalDG.

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.olumbia &rovides students 4 o register 4it t e /##ice o# ,isability 0ervices 4it a range o# su&&ort o&tions7 and 4ill &rovide you 4it a letter stating t e accommodations to 4 ic you are entitled7 4it out disclosing any ot er in#ormation about you. 1# you 3no4 or believe you mig t ave a disability o# some 3ind7 you may 4ant to ta3e a loo3 at t eir 4eb*site: tt&:DD444. ealt .columbia.eduDodsDne4sDds*&rograms. tml. ( e /##ice o# .ounseling and %syc ological 0ervices also &rovides many 3inds o# su&&ort i# you need it. ( eir 4eb*site is tt&:DD444. ealt .columbia.eduDc&sDinde5. tml.

Miller * UW syllabus * &age " o# ?

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(Please bear in min# that this may change to reflect our interests an# nee#s as a *riting community.)

Progression I: From ,-nowing, to *hin.ing Muc as biologists use microsco&es or & otogra& ers use #ilters7 4riters o#ten use t e 8uestions and ideas o# ot er 4riters to o&en ne4 &ossibilities #or investigation. ,uring t is &rogression7 you>ll use met ods and conce&ts #rom one te5t as tools to inter&ret7 analy6e7 or ot er4ise e5&lore a second te5t. 0uc essays el& us to re#lect7 elaborate7 or comment on t e 8ualities o# t e borro4ed conce&t or met od7 allo4ing a nuanced and detailed consideration o# bot subject and outside element. ;#inal essays: 1+00*2000 4ords< /lass %ate 1. ( Ban 1M 2. ) Ban 1? $. ( Ban 2$ 4. ) Ban 2+ +. ( Ban $0 M. ) !eb 1 ". ( !eb M ?. ) !eb ? Reading d!e * Matt e4 Aoulis : e5cer&t #rom +, Microlectures.n Pro"imity of Performance. )ic ard )odrigue6: H-ate Iictorians.H Wal3er %ercy: H( e -oss o# t e .reature.H * 0am&le Essays %eers> Essay 1 !ormal Ma0or Writing d!e

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Progression II: 2oining the /on3ersation Essays do not e5ist in vacuums: t ey engage 4it t e ideas o# ot er te5ts and conte5ts. 1n t is &rogression you 4ill bring t e ideas o# 2 or $ te5ts toget er7 using t e HconversationH bet4een t em to develo& your o4n argument about t e to&ic at and. 1n doing t is7 you>ll observe t e di##erence bet4een using a te5t as an e5am&le and using a te5t as &art o# an argument= you>ll also e5&lore o4 8uite dis&arate ideas can be use#ully considered alongside eac ot er as a 4ay o# arriving at your o4n ne4 3no4ledge. ;#inal essays: 1+00*2000 4ords< /lass date N. ( !eb 1$ 10. ) !eb 1+ 11. ( !eb 20 12. ) !eb 22 1$. ( !eb 2" 14. ) Mar 1 1+. ( Mar M 1M. ) Mar ? Reading d!e Be##rey B. .o en: HMonster .ulture: 0even ( eses.H William .ronon: H( e (rouble 4it Wilderness.H individual reading #or essay 2 * 0am&le essays %eers> Essay 2 !ormal * revie4 all e5ercises to date 0 % ) 1 2 A B ) E : O Ma0or Writing d!e

'ssa( 2 'xplorator( 'ssa( 2 Formal 'ssa( 2 Final ;!ri< Mini$Port"olio due Mon Mar 1N

Miller * UW syllabus * &age ? o# ? Progression III: /ritical /ontext!ali4ation Pro0ect 5//P6 ( e t ird &rogression is a joint researc &roject in 4 ic you>ll 4or3 toget er in small grou&s to e5&lore t e conte5ts and im&lications o# a single see# te"t7 and t en 4rite individual essays on issues7 8uestions7 or concerns t at emerge out o# t is common e5&erience. ,uring t e ..%7 you>ll also begin to loo3 at bot your ne4 and old 4riting 4it in t e emerging conte5t o# your &ort#olio. ;#inal essays: 2000*$000 4ords< /lass date Reading d!e Ma0or Writing d!e 1". ( Mar 20 Mic ael %ollan: H:n :nimal>s %lace.H 1?. ) Mar 22 #inal 0eed (e5t PPP .lass in .om&uter -ab PPP 1N. ( Mar 2" individual reading 20. ) Mar 2N individual D grou& reading 21. ( :&r $ individual D grou& reading 22. ) :&r + Eden Q Mitc ell: H%aragra& ing #or t e )eader.H 2$. ( :&r 10 0am&le essays 24. ) :&r 12 %eers> Essay $ !ormal 2+. ( :&r 1" * Progression I8: Retrospecti3e 1n t e #inal 4ee3s o# t e semester7 you 4ill 4or3 on revisions to your t ree essays and 4rite an essay in 4 ic you re#lect on your develo&ment as a 4riter. :s 4it all &revious essays7 t is one s ould &resent an argument 4it a Main .laim and su&&orting evidence= t is time7 t oug 7 t e &redominant source material #or t e essay 4ill be your o4n 4riting. ( e )etros&ective Essay 4ill #unction as an introduction to your #inal &ort#olio. ;#inal essays: 1200*1+00 4ords< /lass date Reading d!e Ma0or Writing d!e 'ssa( 7 Final o&tional dra#t7 essay 4 'ssa( and Final Port"olio 2M. ) :&r 1N 2". ( :&r 24 revie4 all e5ercises to date 2?. ) :&r 2M M :&r $0 ;) May $<

Research Proposal o&tional &re*#ormal dra#t 'ssa( 7 Formal