English 1100: Composition
Section 103, 2:00-3:15 T&Th, Bate 2006, Fall 2003

Professor: Luke Whisnant
Office: Ragsdale 010; phone: 328-6783
Hours: 12:30-2:00 T&Th; 5:30-6:30 Th
E-mail: WhisnantL@mail.ecu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

"Principles of expository writing and their application to writing tasks. Emphasis on methods of organization; techniques for developing unified, well-supportedparagraphs and essays; grammatical conventions, proofreading and editing skills; and other important aspects of the writing process."

Assignments in English 1100 will help you understand that:

• Writing is a process in which discovering a subject and revising in several drafts are the chief components
  
• Writers develop subjects using a variety of methods
  
• The writer’s intentions and the audience’s expectations determine the patterns and forms of writing that a writer chooses
  
• Most writing involves making discoveries and decisions about purposes, audiences, topics, examples, style, and grammar
  

Over the course of the semester, you will:

• Practice strategies for discovering and developing topics
• Develop facility with drafting and revising
• Increase your awareness of organizational strategies and your ability to apply them to the construction of effective essays
• Become attentive to how audience and purpose affect content, tone, syntax, and structure
• Learn how to support generalizations with sufficient and appropriate details
• Practice writing with precision and clarity and with effective syntax, punctuation, and spelling
• Explore writing to narrate, analyze, evaluate, and persuade
• Gain competence in using computer technology in the writing process
  
• Practice reading and thinking critically
  

You will write extensively, both formally and informally, often for every class meeting. You must be prepared to share your writing with your peers and instructor on a regular basis. You will complete a minimum of 20 pages of polished prose.

TEXT

William Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style.
Various newspapers and magazines announced in class.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Come to class. You may have three unexcused absences; after that, your final grade drops one letter grade. Class starts promptly, often with a reading quiz. Be here on time. Please do not eat in this classroom (drinks, quietly sipped, are fine). Turn off all cell phones upon arrival.

Plagiarism in any form will result in an automatic F for the course, as will any other form of cheating, including turning in work written for another class or work written by someone else.

GRADING

Quizzes & Final Exam ............... 10%
In Class Writing / Journal .......... 10%
Three Essays ............................... 75%
Participation................................... 5%