1. Class 1 What we’re going to do today Logistics:
Rollcall, overview of requirements
Expected skills coming in
What you find hard about writing
Your goals for course
My goals for course
Assignment for next Tuesday
Short writing assignment to do in class
MCWhitton
Class 1

2. Logistics, 1 Roll What class is about: writing requirement
Demonstrate that have writing skills to communicate at level of publishable prose
What class is about: writing something you need to write anyway
IP, Dissertation proposal or chapter, thesis, technical paper
Assumed skills
Basic grammar and composition skills
Course web site—likely to use Blackboard
Temporarily linked my home page ….~whitton/Comp291F04
(Before look at it, talk about what you want to get out of this)
MCWhitton
Class 1

3. What do you want from this course?
What is hard about writing for you?
Use tool Inspiration to generate ideas and cluster
If they aren’t covered, add these points:
My observations-
Wait too long to start  assignments due all along that count
Don’t spend enough time
Reflecting on content
Organizing structure of paper
Start writing prose too soon
Wordsmith before you know what you want to say
Flow problems from cut and paste
Don’t critique yourself carefully enough
does it say what you intend?
Don’t put yourself in the other guys’ shoes?
Who is the audience?
Careless about formatting references
MCWhitton
Class 1

4. My objectives, how do they match up?
1. Structured setting in which to fulfill your writing requirement
a. Getting started
b. Deadlines and assignments will be related to IP, MORE
c. Feedback early and often
2. Make writing easier by giving you tools
a. procedures--tricks, methods, top-down approach
b. tools--SW helps
c. resources
3. Make you your own best critic and editor
a. Writing as user interface
b.Put yourself in the other guys shoes
4. Awareness of and Appreciation of good writing
a. well chosen words, good "turns of phrase", well crafted sentences and paragraphs
b. well structured and argued pieces
MCWhitton
Class 1

5. Look at web page, assignments
Refer to what goal or writing problem the assignments address
MORE steps for course than for IP—a chance for help, an opportunity to get feedback and revise
How we’ll work:
Review each other’s work to help you hone your ability to critique, hopefully make you more aware of your own writing.
Probably one of few times you’ll do an individual writing job.
How we stay out of trouble for giving too much help on a “single person” writing product
Comment on structure of arguments and style, but not on the ideas themselves
Honor Code
MCWhitton
Class 1

6. (Getting to) Today’s writing assignment
Topic: something everyone knows something about
Suggestions?
What I did this summer?
Going to brainstorm and organize for 5 min
DID is a wimpy verb: how make it more specific and lively?
How many things could you write about in 10 min?
Then you brainstorm and organize for 5 min
Then write for 10 min
Exchange papers and mark up 5 min
Clarity of purpose
Clarity of prose
Exceptionally good (or bad) prose (NO ATTRIBUTION!)
Talk about it 5+ minutes Stop about 5 min left to make assignments
MCWhitton
Class 1

7. Next assignments
Reading assignment: Executive summary of the 911 Commission report.
Read it critically for style, not content
Audience?
How to find a topic for your 291 paper
We’ll brainstorm on this next time
200 words on this topic for next Tuesday
MCWhitton
Class 1

8. Review/Preview Reviewed goals yours and mine
High level look at assignments
Done a writing assignment
Brainstormed
Limited topics (?)
Wrote
Critiqued
Preview
Good writing in the 911 report exec summary
Brainstorm about finding a topic
MCWhitton
Class 1