COMPOSITION I - COM101/2 Spring 2025
Course
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Lessons
Here is the course outline:
1. Introduction
Feb 3
Description: Icebreaking. Syllabus overview. Description of course purposes, structure, assessment, and expectations ▪ Course Key Terms and FAQs Assignments/deadlines: Review course reading material (NEO) |
2. Origins of Academic Writing (Part 1)
Feb 5
Description: Rhetoric, purpose, importance and modern applications. Reading: Corbett, pp. 29 – 33 & Booth, pp. 9 – 15. |
3. Origins of Academic Writing (Part 2)
Feb 10
Description: Rhetoric, purpose, importance and modern applications. Reading: Corbett, pp. 29 – 33 & Booth, pp. 9 – 15. Assignments/deadlines: Assignment #1: Read Corbett: THE RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF RHETORIC FOR OUR TIMES, pp. 29-33, and prepare: • a 1-page preliminary outline • a 1-page summary NEO. Due: Feb. 17, 08:00 AM |
4. Analytical Reading (Part 1)
Feb 12
Description: Text analysis. Reading methods. Reading: Kirszner pp. 13 – 20 + Exercise 1, Ruszkiewicz, pp. 317-324 and Booth, pp 106 – 107. In-class writing exercise and debate: Read the article: The Rhetorical Education of Isocrates and the Exemplary in Teaching: Overcoming the Learnification of Education by Lars Petter Storm Torjussen. Nordic Journal of Educational History Vol. 6, no. 2 (2019), pp. 3–21 and prepare a 2-page summary and a 20-word glossary. |
5. Analytical Reading (Part 2)
Feb 17
Description: Text analysis. Reading methods. Reading: Kirszner pp. 13 – 20 + Exercise 1, Ruszkiewicz, pp. 317 – 324 and Booth, pp 106 – 107. Team Work 1: Assignment 1 Peer Reviewing. |
6. Critical Thinking (Part 1)
Feb 19
Description: Definition. Importance. Methods. Application in writing. Debate 1. Reading: Ruszkiewicz, pp. 420 – 423, Open University, pp. 7 – 11, Bailey, pp. 27 – 29. Booth, pp. 56 – 70. |
7. Critical Thinking (Part 2)
Feb 24
Description: Definition. Importance. Methods. Application in writing. Debate 1. Reading: Ruszkiewicz, pp. 420 – 423, Open University, pp. 7 – 11, Bailey, pp. 27 – 29. Booth, pp. 56 – 70. Screening and debate: https://youtu.be/LgVzm_3I-pM Steven Pinker | Penguin Big Questions |
8. Writing Techniques (Part 1)
Feb 26
Description: Outlining. Summarizing. Paraphrasing. Citations… and a Grammar reminder. Reading: Kirszner pp. 81 – 88, Ruszkiewicz, pp. 324 – 353, Bailey, pp. 44 – 69. |
9. Writing Techniques (Part 2)
Mar 3
Description: Outlining. Summarizing. Paraphrasing. Citations… and a Grammar reminder. Reading: Kirszner pp. 81 – 88, Ruszkiewicz, pp. 324 – 353, Bailey, pp. 44 – 69. Assignments/deadlines: Draft#1: In one (1) page, describe your topic proposal and create an outline. Printed for March 10. |
10. The Structure (Part 1)
Mar 5
Description: Importance of structure. Simple and complex. Transitional sections/signs. Sentence. Paragraph. Introduction. Conclusion. Reading: Bailey, pp. 77 - 81. Ruszkiewicz, pp. 354 – 361. |
11. The Structure (Part 2)
Mar 10
Description: Importance of structure. Simple and complex. Transitional sections/signs. Sentence. Paragraph. Introduction. Conclusion. Reading: Bailey, pp. 77 - 81. Ruszkiewicz, pp. 354 – 361. Screening and In-class writing exercise: https://youtu.be/OcdumFcGdfU The Future of Fashion – Made from Mushrooms | Dr. Dan Widmaier | TED |
12. Arguments (Part 1)
Mar 12
Description: Historical overview. Principles of argument. Reasoning. Evidence. Building and discussing arguments in academic writing. Reading: Ramage, pp. 17 – 21, & 32 – 41, Booth, pp. 114 – 123. Bailey, pp. 101 – 117. Open University, pp. 12 – 18 |
13. Arguments (Part 2)
Mar 17
Description: Historical overview. Principles of argument. Reasoning. Evidence. Building and discussing arguments in academic writing. Reading: Ramage, pp. 17 – 21, & 32 – 41, Booth, pp. 114 – 123. Bailey, pp. 101 – 117. Open University, pp. 12 – 18. Screening: https://youtu.be/xpAvcGcEc0k?si=_qW-x3U0hoqlYOWW Assignments/deadlines: Assignment #2: In two (2) pages, summarise the key ideas of: A. R. NYKL AND MEXICO’S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE by Dagmar Winklerová. Describe the language of the writer: The terms, sentences and tone. NEO. Due March 24, 08:00 am |
14. References (Part 1)
Mar 19
Description: Finding sources. Bibliography. Online sources. Reading: Ruszkiewicz, pp. 435 – 473, Bailey, pp. 15 – 17, & 62 – 71 + Exercise. |
15. References (Part 2)
Mar 24
Description: Finding sources. Bibliography. Online sources. Reading: Ruszkiewicz, pp. 435 – 473, Bailey, pp. 15 – 17, & 62 – 71 + Exercise. In-class writing exercise: In one (2) pages summarise the key ideas of Scott F. Crider, The Soul of Rhetoric in the Age of Amazon. Renovatio Journal, Spring 2019, pp. 35 – 42, and make clear whether you‘re agreeing or disagreeing with what he says. https://renovatio.zaytuna.edu/article/the-soul-of-rhetoric-in-the-a ge ofamazon |
16. A Sense of Style (Part 1)
Mar 26
Description: Conventional VS Creative. Voice. Stylistic choices… but with Grammar and Vocabulary! Reading: Kirszner , pp.89 - 90, Birkenstein, 117 – 130. |
17. A Sense of Style (Part 2)
Apr 7
Description: Conventional VS Creative. Voice. Stylistic choices… but with Grammar and Vocabulary! Reading: Kirszner , pp.89 - 90, Birkenstein, 117 – 130. Assignments/deadlines: Draft #2: Extend your draft (topic proposal) to 5-7 pages including: - Past readings on your topic - Paragraphs including arguments and citations - List of new sources - MLA 9th ed. format Printed. For April 14. |
18. Plagiarism (Part 1)
Apr 9
Description: Definition. Types (and syllabus overview). Ethical or Legal? Alternatives. Reading: Booth, pp. 201 – 207. Bailey, pp. 30 – 35. |
19. Plagiarism (Part 2)
Apr 14
Description: Definition. Types (and syllabus overview). Ethical or Legal? Alternatives. Reading: Booth, pp. 201 – 207. Bailey, pp. 30 – 35. Draft 2 peer review Screening (To be announced) and debate (Artificial Intelligence) |
20. Editing and Formatting tructure (Part 1)
Apr 16
Description: Revising the frame. Coherence check. Grammar reminder. Arguments revision. Citations and sources check. Reading: Kirszner, p.168. Booth, pp. 208 – 2018. Birkenstein, pp. 309 – 327. |
21. Editing and Formatting tructure (Part 2)
Apr 21
Description: Revising the frame. Coherence check. Grammar reminder. Arguments revision. Citations and sources check. Reading: Kirszner, p.168. Booth, pp. 208 – 2018. Birkenstein, pp. 309 – 327. In-class test |
22. Ethics of Research (Part 1)
Apr 23
Description: Honesty. Objectivity. Humbleness… and again, Plagiarism. Reading: Corbett, pp. 277 – 282, & 302 – 312, Booth, pp. 285 – 288. |
23. Ethics of Research (Part 2)
Apr 28
Description: Honesty. Objectivity. Humbleness… and again, Plagiarism. Reading: Corbett, pp. 277 – 282, & 302 – 312, Booth, pp. 285 – 288. In class writing exercise + debate. Assignments/deadlines: Draft#3: Prepare the last version of your paper (7 pages minimum, 10 pages maximum): - Apply the studied rules of editing and formatting to your draft - Write your introduction and conclusion - The list of references MLA 9th ed. format NEO due May 5. |
24. Last Draft Q&A
Apr 30
Description: Q&A on final essay draft 3. |
25. Presentation Q&A
May 5
Description: Prepare the presentation of your final paper. Screening (To be announced) |
26. Presentation Day
May 7
Description: Presentation and Defense of Research Papers. |