Syllabus

Course: Writing & Reading (II) (Spring 2010)

Instructor: Yi-Ping Huang Phone: 88101
Email: yiphuang@nccu.edu.tw Office: Research Building 715
Office Hour: 2:00-5:00pm Thursday & By Appointment (Please make an appointment in advance.)

Course Description

This course is the first year of the two-year writing and reading classes. It aims to cultivate students’ skills
of academic writing and reading. For writing, students will learn the major rhetorical forms in order to
write cohesive paragraphs and essays. These strategies include narration, description, exposition,
description, exposition, illustration, and chronology/process. As to reading, it aims to cultivate students’
reading comprehension abilities. Reading skills to be taught include scanning, skimming, text analysis,
identification of main point and authors’ intention, differentiation of facts and opinions, making inference,
and text appreciation. These skills will be taught via lecture, discussion, homework assignments, peer
review, & individual conference. Through mastering these skills, students are expected to become active
and critical readers and writers.

In particular, this semester we will focus on introduction to essays, summary, process analysis,
comparison/contrast, and argumentation. Writing in exams and about films will also be incorporated.
Cooperative and project-based work will be emphasized.

Content for writing:

1. Invention (brainstorming, outlining, forming a paragraph and an essay)
2. Introduction to the Paragraph
3. Narration
4. Description
5. Exposition
6. Introduction to the Essay
7. Illustration
8. Chronology / Process
9. Synthesis of Rhetorical Forms (covered so far)
10. Grammar review and Sentence strategies (Refer to SOGP)
11. Research skills: Quoting, Summarizing, Paraphrasing, Outlining

Content for reading:

1. Scanning
2. Skimming
3. Analyzing structure
4. Distinguishing main ideas from details
5. Telling facts from hypotheses
6. Making inferences
7. Developing and expanding vocabulary

Textbook
1. Refining Composition Skills, 5th edition (RCS) (政大書城)
2. Steps to Writing Well with Additional Readings, 6th edition (SWWAR)
3. Supplementary Handouts
Schedule (Subject to change according to learners’ needs
Week Date Topic
1 2/25 From paragraph to composition
The reading-writing connection (SWWAR 8: 165-176)
Introduction to the essay (RCS 6: 105-126)
2 3/04 Library (Refworkshop)(2 hours) TBA(1 hour)
3 3/11 Review: Introduction to the essay
Example Essay (RCS 7)
Essay #1
4 3/18 Research skills: Summarizing & Outlining (1) (SWWAR 8: 175-176)
Writing in class: exams and “response” essays (SWWAR 15: 407-419)
Peer Review: Essay #1
5 3/25 Writing a paper using research (SWWAR 14: 355-370)
Avoiding Plagiarism (SWWAR 14:370-406)
Research skills: Quoting & Paraphrasing (2)
Essay #2: Summary
6 4/01 No class
7 4/08 Peer Review: Essay #2
Inference: Handouts
8 4/15 Group Presentation: Summary
Individual Conference
9 4/22 Mid-term Exam
10 4/29 Compare & Contrast (RCS 8)
11 5/06 Field Trip
Essay #3: Compare & Contrast
12 5/13 Group Presentation: Compare & Contrast (Interviews)
Peer Review: Essay #3
13 5/20 No Class
14 5/27 Argumentation (RCS 12)
Essay #4: Argumentation
15 6/03 Group Presentation: Argumentation (Research)
Peer Review: Essay #4
16 6/10 Process analysis writing (RCS 10)
Synthesis of rhetorical form
Grammatical Errors (SWWAR 20)
17 6/17 Essay #5: Process Analysis Writing
Wrap up
18 6/24 Final Exam

Grading
1. Essay 1 & 5: 20%
2. Essay 2, 3, 4 & Oral Presentation: 45%
3. On-line grammar tests 5%
4. Mid-term + final exams 20%
5. Participation, attendance, & exercise 10%
Grading categories (Length: 500-1000 words)
1. Mechanics (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, format)
2. Diction (word choice, style of writing) / Details
3. Grammar
4. Organization / Unity and Coherence (logic)
5. Originality

Important Notes
1. Attendance & Participation: Your attendance, participation, and contribution are highly valued
by all of us. So, please take a leave in advance of the class. Also, please attend class ON
TIME. You will NOT pass the course if you are absent over THREE times.
2. Supplement On-line Grammar Program (SOGP): You are required to self study the lessons
and do the exercises. Also, you will need to take two tests, the results of which will be counted in
your final grades. (12/7 & 3/1)
3. Assignments: All homework must be due on time. Late work will not count. You are required to
ask for writing tutor’s advice on at least one of your writing assignments.
4. Plagiarism: No plagiarism is allowed in this class. If you plagiarize others’ texts and/or ideas,
you will not pass the course. (see RCS P. 385-387)