Syllabus: Expository Writing

Dr. Wilk

week of / topics / assignments
Introduction to the course:
Why write?
What is freewriting?
What is the writing process?
Collecting strategies / Buy a journal.
Complete “personal universe deck”.
ALSO: letter of introduction
Sept. 10 / Where do ideas come from?
Mapping
Freewriting on some bubbles in your map
The journal as a brain scrapbook
Writing in response to things you encounter / HW: alternative entries in your journal
ALSO: “What’s up with That?” activity: bring in any article/ photo/news item that interests you. Write in your journal in response to that item
Hand in: letter of
introduction
Sept. 17 / What is involved in “developing an idea”? What does that mean?
examples
causes
implications
reasons
results
similar situations
descriptions
facts
feelings
in class: revision workshop for news reaction piece / Hw: what’s a good beginning? Rewrite the beginning of your news reaction piece, and find an article with a beginning you like…one that draws you in. Bring it to class.
ALSO: “I need / don’t need”
activity. What are the parts of your subject that go off in the wrong direction? SO WHAT? What is your conclusion?
Hand in: final draft of news reaction piece
Sept. 24 / How do you unpack a topic?
Finding a focus.
in class: peer response groups, “center of gravity conferences” with promising journal entries
What are the reader’s needs? / HW:
mapping or listing from a topic idea…opening up the topic.
Do a box outline of a topic that started as a seed in your journal
Hand in: rough draft of JOURNAL TOPIC essay
October 1 / What does revision really mean?
How can questions help you to revise?
Is cutting and pasting a revision technique?
What if there are no key ideas in your writing? Can the main point be off the page?
In class: revision workshop / HW: revision work as needed
Hand in: final copy of JOURNAL TOPIC essay
October 8 / Why write your own stories?
Finding topics from memory / HW: journal writing from memory. Three entries which begin with “I remember”
Hand in: rough draft of memoir
October 15 / What techniques from fiction can we use in writing about true stories?
Scenes, description, dialog, flashbacks, visual description, / Revision of memoir
Hand in: final version of memoir
October 22 / How does what you’re trying to accomplish affect how you write?
audience and purpose
Also: using what you know.
The “expert list”
Wikipedia
In class: explore wikepedia site. Take notes. / HW: journal entry in response to “wikipedia” site
What do you notice? What do you think? Read and rate three entries.
Hand in: rough draft of Wikipedia site review designed for PHS audience
October 29 / How do you decide what’s important?
Using what you already know: write a Wikipedia article on something you are an expert on. / HW: revise wikipedia article based on feedback from peers and teacher.
Post the article online.
Hand in: paper copy of Wikipedia article, and one-paragraph reflection on your process in writing this
November 5 / What makes opinion writing work?
Essays of argument: building on what we already know about audience, purpose, and use of fact. / HW: journal writing activities to explore possible opinion topics.
Hand in: “argument prep grade” materials
November 12 (end 1st m.p.) /

Evaluation conferences

/ HW: final copies of all work due. Self-evaluation due.
Hand in: rough draft essay of argument
November 19 / How does structure help an argument?
(beauty of the box outline)
How does research help an argument?
In class: revision of argument essay / Complete necessary research for essay of argument
Hand in: final draft of essay of argument
November 26 / What is satire?
How does humor writing work? / Hand in: one-page humor piece
December 3 / What do you wonder about?
following your curiosity / Researching a topic you care about
Hand in: research project proposal
December 10 / What’s the difference between information you find and what you personally think? The importance of the writer’s opinion in research writing / Hand in: a piece of writing using research (rough draft)
December 17 /

Nonfiction reading:

How is it different than reading a novel?
Interacting with the ideas / HW: journal entries on reading
January 2 / Nonfiction reading:
Writing in response to a text / Hand in: writing in response to a text
January 7 /

How can you ace the writing section of the SAT exam?

In class: practice SAT writing questions
Jan.14 (end 2nd m.p.) / Evaluation conferences / Final portfolio evaluations