English 283: Creative Writing I
The University of South Dakota
Division of Continuing and Distance Education
English 283: Summer 2015 (May 18 to August 7), 3 credits
Instructor:
Holly Baker
Email:
Access via Course Mail in D2L
IMPORTANT: You are responsible for the information in the syllabus. Take the time to read it from beginning to end so you are aware with the course objectives and requirements, policies and procedures, and all due dates before the start of class.
NOTE: BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS IN HAND. COURSE DESCRIPTION
ENGL 283 is an introductory course designed to function as a studio class in creative writing. Students will become acquainted with various tools, terms, and techniques employed by poets and fiction writers and will have the opportunity to experiment with and apply these techniques
through the use of individual and group creative writing exercises/activities. ENGL 283 emphasizes a hands-on, action-based approach toward the goal of developing skills in reading, craft and
technique, and creativity. A sampling of course requirements includes weekly responses to reading materials, creative exercises, responses to peers’ work, participation in “workshops” with
substantive written feedback on fellow students’ drafts of creative work, two expository essays on topics pertinent to creative writing, and a final writing portfolio. Prior creative writing experience is not required.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Study of and practice in the techniques of writing fiction, poetry, and/or drama. COURSE PREREQUISITES
ENGL 101: Composition I; and ENGL 210: Introduction to Literature COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
General Education Objectives
BOR/SGR System GOAL #1 – Students will write effectively and responsibly and will understand and interpret the written expression of others.
Student Learning Outcomes – As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will: LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT OF OUTCOMES IN ENGLISH 201 Write using standard American English,
including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure
Formative assessment of drafts, essays, annotations, and online postings. Instructor and peer review. Summative assessment of final draft essays, using a consistent rubric.
Write logically Formative assessment of drafts, essays, annotations, and online postings. Instructor and peer review. Summative assessment of final draft essays, using a consistent rubric. Write persuasively, with a variety of
rhetorical strategies (e.g., expository, argumentative, descriptive)
Formative assessment of creative exercises and assignments. Summative assessment of reading responses, creative exercises, short papers, workshop critiques, and a final creative writing portfolio according to consistent rubrics.
Incorporate formal research and
documentation into their writing, including research obtained through modern,
technology-based research tools
Summative assessment of short papers according to
consistent rubrics.
BOR/SGR System GOAL #7: Students will recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, organize, critically evaluate, and effectively use information from a variety of sources with intellectual integrity.
Student Learning Outcomes – As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will: LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
Development of reading skills as a means of improving writing skills
Summative assessment of reading responses, short papers, workshop critiques, and a final creative writing portfolio according to consistent rubrics.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Think of English 283 as an interactive online writing and workshop environment. It is designed to help you exercise and develop your capacities as a creative thinker and writer. The course
emphasizes the importance of all stages of writing processes, including invention, drafting,
workshopping, revising, editing, and proofreading. In this course, you will study the craft of poetry and short fiction by reading the works of published writers, studying the elements of craft by performing craft analyses, and most importantly, putting into practice the skills you learn by writing your own creative work. Each week, you will explore various elements of craft through readings, guided practice, small group workshops and discussions, and instructor feedback. REQUIRED COURSE TEXT AND OTHER MATERIALS:
South Dakota Review, vol. 49, issue 1&2 (2011) South Dakota Review, vol. 51, issue 2 (2013)
One book from a pre-approved list that I will provide. Additional handouts and online reading TBA
Any recently published writer’s handbook for your reference. (Troyka and Hesse’s Simon &
Schuster Handbook for Writers, 9th ed. Pearson, 2009, full or brief edition is recommended but not required; make sure that your handbook covers MLA; you may also use reliable
online sources, like the OWL at Purdue University’s site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/)
Access to a good dictionary; www.merriam-webster.com is a good online resource; access to a good thesaurus is also highly recommended E-mail and regular online access
***Save all drafts in a reliable location and back everything up! Computers crash, so email documents to yourself, save them to a flash drive, external hard drive, or other location, and don’t delete or throw away ANYTHING until after the end of the semester.
ASSIGNMENTS
For each assignment, detailed requirements will be posted on D2L under “Content” > “Assignments.”
Creative Works: You will be responsible for drafting 5 poems and 2 short stories over the course of the semester. Four of the five poems will be submitted directly to me for instructor feedback; the fifth poem will be workshopped in a group of your peers before submitting to me. You will
workshop the long short stories before submitting them to me.
Workshops: There will be two workshops in which you will submit your creative work to your peers for detailed feedback. In addition to submitting your own work, you will be required to read and respond to all drafts submitted in your assigned workshop group. Each group will have between 4 and 5 students. I will assign new groups every time we workshop.
A discussion board will be set up for each workshop, and you will need to attach your draft as a .doc, .docx, or an .rtf to the discussion board on time. This is a courtesy to all in your group. Failure to submit in a timely fashion will result in point deduction.
To provide feedback to your peers, you will need to download their file, open it in Microsoft Word, and use the highlight and comments functions to annotate the draft. (I will demonstrate this as I respond to your first four poems.) You will then attach the annotated file to a post on the discussion board with substantive critique of the work (150 words minimum).
Essay 1: Craft Analysis (Poetry): Choose one element of craft that you’d like to explore in-depth (form, imagery, figurative language, diction, voice, symbols, or syntax) and write an essay that analyzes the use of this element in a poem of your choice (from SDR or other approved poem) with an emphasis on form and technique rather than content or theme. How, when, and where does the author use the element to produce a certain effect? The paper will involve close reading and
explication techniques that we will practice in class. Additionally, you will engage in a discussion on how you utilize this element of craft in your own work.
Essay 2: Exploratory/Informative Research Paper (Fiction): In preparation for writing your 10-page story, you will engage in an exploratory research project to become better informed about an element you will incorporate into your final story. You may choose to focus your research on a historical time period, place, culture, invention, profession, or something outside of your own experience and expertise. In addition to the paper, you will compose a bibliography of at least five scholarly sources pertinent to your analysis.
Weekly Discussions: On a weekly basis, you will be asked to respond to a prompt located on the “Discuss” section of our D2L course. Once you have posted your response, you will be asked to comment upon a posting by one of your peers from within your learning community. Posting
assignments will vary throughout the course of the semester. Consider each one of these posting assignments as an opportunity to join in an academic discussion and hone your writing skills as you address an audience made up of classmates and instructor.
Weekly Creative Writing Exercises: On a weekly basis, you will be responsible for completing a creative writing exercise, responding to the prompt located on the “Discuss” section of our D2L course. These are intended to get the proverbial juices flower and expose you to different
techniques of craft. Think of this as a creative writing journal. You can use of any of these exercises as a springboard into a poem or short story. They will be graded based on completion.
Weekly Quizzes: You will be responsible for completing a quiz over the weekly reading assignments and lectures. Each quiz will be located on the “Quizzes” portion of our D2L course page. You will be asked 10 questions relating to the week’s content which will test your
understanding of the assigned materials. Each week’s reading quiz opens on Monday and close at 11:59 on Sunday. You will have 60 minutes to complete each quiz. You are given only one attempt, so you will not be able to retake a quiz. This means that you should set aside a time each week in which you can fully concentrate and complete the quiz to the best of your abilities. Please note that missed quizzes cannot be made up.
Participation: Your participation grade is based on timeliness of submissions, not only official assignments but also drafts sent to your peers for workshops and returning their own drafts with feedback. Other aspects of your participation grade are left up to my discretion. For instance, if your weekly quizzes demonstrate a consistent failure to read the course material, this will also affect your participation grade.
Final Creative Writing Portfolio: You will be asked to submit a final creative writing portfolio at the end of the semester composed of revised final versions of your original, creative work in a single document. The portfolio will contain revised versions of the five poems and two short stories you have worked on during the semester. In order to receive full credit for a piece included in the portfolio, you must do both of the following:
(1) Turn in a completed, typed/word-processed first draft of the creative writing assignment on the assigned days noted on the class schedule and announced in D2L for workshop.
Written comments/feedback and suggestions for future revision will be provided by the instructor and peers. To complete the portfolio process, you will then need to:
(2) Respond to written comments/suggestions for revision with a thoughtful, substantive revision of each piece included in the final creative writing portfolio.
The portfolio must also include a short written commentary (150-word minimum) for each revised poem and a slightly longer (300-word minimum each) written commentary for each short story. These written commentaries should summarize and reflect on the revising process, discussing and evaluating the ways in which the work has changed, evolved, and improved as a result of the revision process.
GRADING
To pass this course, students must do the following: (1) complete all assigned writing; (2) submit all writing, as required by the instructor, to Turnitin.com; and (3) submit only writing produced for
English 283 during the current semester (no recycled writing). These are the minimum requirements for passing the course. Your course grade will be determined as follows:
Assignment Points* Percentage
Paper 1 50 5%
Paper 2 50 5%
Short Stories (2) 100 10%
Poems (5) 100 10%
Peer Workshops (2) 100 10%
Weekly Creative Exercises (10) 100 10%
Weekly Responses Posts (10) 100 10%
Weekly Quizzes (10) 100 10%
Participation (in D2L Discussions) 100 10%
Final Portfolio + Self-Evaluation 200 20%
TOTAL 1000 100%
*A = 900-1000 / B = 800-899 / C = 700-799 / D = 600-699 / F = Below 600 points No incomplete grades will be given.
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance and Participation: Students are required to start posting to the discussion forums within the first week of the course. This is the only way that I can determine if you are “attending” class or not. Any student who has not posted to the discussion question at least once by midnight on Friday, May 22, will be dropped from the course. This course is designed as a reading and writing workshop which depends upon active student participation. As such, your presence online is imperative to your success in the course. Students who do not participate in the online community of the class for over a period of seven calendar days will be automatically dropped from the class by the instructor. Participation means both submitting assignments on time and being active in the discussion forums. Just as in a “face-to-face” class, if you must be absent from class for an extended period of time, you should make me aware of the circumstances prior to your absence.
Late Writing Assignments & Make-up Policy: If you will be absent from online class sessions and unable to post your assignments, please contact me first. You will be responsible for submitting assignments due during the time you will miss before the due date. The grades for any major assignments (poems, stories, or papers) that are submitted late will be lowered 5% for each day it is late (including weekends), up to 7 days; after that, the assignment will receive a 0. Other late writing assignments and homework (including discussion postings) will lose 5% for each day they are late (weekends included). For any extenuating circumstance that can be documented (provable illnesses, family emergencies, accidents, or immediate family deaths), please contact me as soon as possible about getting an extension or an alternative assignment for a missed weekly quiz. Note that these accommodations will only be made for serious, extenuating circumstances, and that general life things like unavoidable illnesses, car problems, computer meltdowns, alarm clock failure, etc., need to be worked around. I reserve the right to evaluate the legitimacy of excuses
pertaining to late and missing assignments and exercise course failure or instructor-initiated drop at my discretion.
NOTE: All references to time are Central Time Zone.
Instructor Feedback and Grades: During the course of our class, I will aim to give you prompt and ongoing feedback. However, you should not expect instantaneous feedback. On weekdays, please allow a 24-48 hour turn-around time for emails and short responses and no more than two-week turn-around time on responses to major assignments. Students will be able to find feedback for on D2L. Grades for all assignments will be posted to D2L’s grade book.
Rewrites: All creative work goes through an extensive drafting process; once a work is submitted for a grade, that grade is final. Further revision will be reserved for the final portfolio, which receives a separate grade. The two essays may be revised for a higher grade only if the grade received is lower than an 80%. Before you endeavor to revise, consult with me, as mere proofreading will not merit a higher grade.
Writing Format: Assignments and essays must be original, fresh work, composed solely for this course. All work must be typed and submitted as .doc or .rtf files to minimize compatibility problems among users. Please do not save files as .docx. Poems do not require a specific typeface or font size, but please make it readable. Short stories and papers must be double-spaced, in 12-point Times or Times New Roman font. For Papers 1 and 2, follow standard MLA format. Reduced points will result from any submitted draft that does not follow these guidelines.
Policies for Research: You are expected to use credible sources, including online databases and credible Web sites. Unacceptable research sources include Wikipedia, general encyclopedias and dictionaries, book reviews, all other sources of brief notes or abstracts, Cliff’s Notes/Spark Notes, and unapproved websites. The I. D. Weeks Library has many resources to help assist distance learning students in their research. Please review the CDE Online Student Orientation packet for details. http://www.usd.edu/continuing-and-distance-education/student-resources.cfm Technology: For information about USD's technical, academic and student support services, as well as how to take advantages of these services, please refer to the CDE Online Student Orientation http://www.usd.edu/continuing-and-distance-education/student-resources.cfm. This document also contains important information pertaining to minimum technology requirements, registration information, as well as other university services and policies.
Getting Help: I encourage you to email me or attend virtual office hours at any time during the summer semester if you wish to discuss issues connected with this class and/or your performance. Please discuss concerns with me while we still have options. At any point in the semester, you may request an informal report of your progress in the course.
Channel of Communication:
Desire2Learn will be the main electronic interface for this course. You will be able to communicate with me and your classmates through here. This is also where you should go if you’re wondering how you are doing academically. Grades will be current on D2L. Remember that your creative final drafts and essays must be submitted though Turnitin.com; however, grades, class updates, course resources, and assignment directions will always be posted and available on D2L. Get logged in and comfortable right away. That said, please be aware of the public nature of class writing and discussion:This class relies not only on writing but on discussion as well. Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others,
and in this course our purpose is to come together as a community of writers. Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others. Avoid writing about things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or that you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to consider perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion. However, you should adopt positions responsibly and thoughtfully, taking responsibility for your words and being mindful of their impact upon others. One of my primary goals for any classroom, even online, is to create a friendly, supportive writing community. D2L should be a safe and peaceful place where ideas can be exchanged, experiences shared, and solutions explored. To meet this goal, I simply ask that we treat one another with respect in our exchanges. As well, I hope we can conduct our exchanges in a way that is enjoyable and
professional. Finally, familiarize yourself with the SDBoR Policy 3:4 Student Code of Conduct, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the following:
Inclusive Language: The University of South Dakota strives to promote an atmosphere of tolerance and diversity. I expect this attitude to be reflected in our online interactions and discussions. It is important that we respect our differences in the language that we use. For this reason, we should use inclusive language (for example, but not limited to, the use of gender-neutral pronouns and word choices) in all writing, presentation, and discussion. I understand that this may be new territory for some students and will be happy to answer questions concerning what’s both stylistically appropriate and inclusive.
Netiquette refers to using good manners in our virtual communication setting. Below is a list of
general netiquette expectations for online courses (taken from ―A New Student’s Guide to Online
Learning at USD http://www.usd.edu/continuing-and-distance-education/upload/Online-Orientation-Guide.pdf):
Carefully read email that you receive to make sure that you understand the message. Carefully read and reread responses before you send them. Proofread for errors in
grammar, punctuation, and spelling as these kinds of mistakes can muddle your message and confuse the reader.
If you are using humor or sarcasm, clearly label it as such. i.e. ―ha ha‖ or :)
Know your audience. Make sure that the person(s) to whom you are sending your message are the appropriate one(s) with whom to communicate.
Avoid cluttering your message with excessive emphases (such as stars, arrows and the like). They may make the message hard to follow.
If you are responding to a message, either include the relevant part of the original message in your message, or make sure you refer to the contents of the original message.
Be specific, especially when asking questions.
Include your name in the text of your message, as well as other contact information, such as email address or phone number for a reply. The end of the message is a good place for this information.
When typing, use upper/lower cases appropriately. ALL CAPS gives the appearance of shouting and can seem rude.
Just as you should not drive when you are angry, you should not send email responses when you are angry. Type a response, but do not mail it immediately. Chances are, when you reread it, you will be glad that you waited.
Emailing Me: The only way to communicate with me regarding this through Course Mail in D2L. Please compose your emails using formal, Standard English, including proper grammar and
punctuation. Do NOT use instant messaging (IM) or short message service (SMS) texting
abbreviations, emoticons, or slang. Always spell check before you click “send.” Your message will be most effective if you use a conversational yet professional tone. Your message should include an appropriate and meaningful subject line, salutation/greeting, clear message, closing, and signature (your full name and class). If you attach something, you should state that within your message, identifying what it is and what I am to do with the attachment. During the week, you may expect to hear from me within 24-48 hours. I will not check my mail on Saturdays or Sundays, so please be patient. Also, please do not use the pager tool to contact me. If for some reason, you do not hear from me, do not hesitate to try again. There is always the possibility that your message or mine is orbiting cyberspace.
“Recycled Writing” Policy: All writing submitted for English 283 must be produced this
semester—during Summer 2015—in order to meet the requirements for this course. Students who insist on “recycling” writing submitted during previous attempts at English 283 or for other courses will be dropped from the course for non-participation.
University Writing Center: The Writing Center is a place where students can meet with writing consultants to discuss their writing and get assistance with developing their writing skills. Any USD student, faculty member, or staff person may come to the Writing Center for individualized help with any writing. The Writing Center provides knowledgeable, experienced writing consultants who will work with students on a variety of writing: academic papers written for classes; MA theses and dissertations; homework that involves writing; the writing skills parts of the Proficiency Exam; and miscellaneous writing, including short stories, poetry, resumes, business letters, and so on. Their summer hours are by appointment only. Students wishing to make an appointment with a consultant should email wcenter@usd.edu.
Student Counseling Center: The Student Counseling Center provides counseling and alcohol and drug services to currently enrolled students. The Center offers counseling, therapy and assessment to help students address personal, social and relationships concerns. There are no fees for USD students. For appointments, call 677-5777. First Call for Help offers a Walk-in Clinic M-F, 12-3pm, Julian Hall 330.
College of Arts and Sciences Policy on Academic Dishonesty: The College of Arts and Sciences considers plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty inimical to the objectives of higher education. The College supports the imposition of penalties on students who engage in academic dishonesty, as defined in the “Conduct” section of the University of South Dakota Student Handbook. No credit can be given for a dishonest assignment. At the discretion of the instructor, a student caught engaging in any form of academic dishonesty may be:
a. Given a zero for that assignment.
b. Allowed to rewrite and resubmit the assignment for credit. c. Assigned a reduced grade for the course.
d. Dropped from the course. e. Failed in the course.
Students who have engaged in academic dishonesty may be referred to the USD Office of Rights and Responsibilities for violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
Plagiarism occurs when a student submits another person’s writing as his/her own or has another person dictate what should be written. Academic dishonesty also includes the following, as outlined in the student code of conduct: Cheating, which is defined as, but not limited to the following: a. use
or giving of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; b. use of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or c. acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the institutional faculty or staff. Plagiarism or academic
dishonesty in any single assignment, including short papers, reflective assignments, and drafts, no matter how long or what degree of plagiarism, will be referred to the Department Chair. The default penalty for plagiarism or academic dishonesty is course failure.
English Department Policy on Fair Evaluation : Each student is entitled to a fair grade in each course in which he or she is enrolled. It is the right and the responsibility of an instructor to establish criteria for evaluation for each course which he or she teaches, and to determine the degree to which an individual student has fulfilled the standards set for the course. Students should be apprised that extraneous factors, such as eligibility for sorority or fraternity membership, for scholarship or financial aid awards, for athletics, for timely graduation, or for admission to graduate or professional schools, have no bearing on the determination of grades. The quality of the
student’s overall performance with respect to standards for evaluation will be the only basis for judgment.
Resolving Complaints about Grades: The first step in resolving a complaint about grades is ordinarily for the student to attempt to resolve the problem directly with the course instructor. If that attempt is unsuccessful, the student may bring the matter to the Department Chair, who will assist the instructor and the student in reaching a resolution. Grade appeals not resolved with the assistance of the Department Chair may be directed to the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (for undergraduates) or to the Dean of the Graduate School (for graduate students), provided that the grading decision at issue would affect the student’s final course grade. The
student initiating the grade appeal should be prepared to show that the grade was decided unfairly. According to South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 2:9, any academic appeal must be initiated within thirty calendar days from the date that the student received notification of the grade, unless the grade is assigned within fifteen calendar days of the end of the term. In that case, any appeal must be initiated within fifteen calendar days after the start of the next term (fall, spring, or summer).
Statement on Freedom in Learning: The following statement is required by the South Dakota Board of Regents: “Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact Associate Dean Kurt
Hackemer to initiate a review of the evaluation.”
Assessment Disclaimer: Any written work submitted for this course may be used for purposes of program review and/or faculty development.
Statement of Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Any student who feels s/he may need academic accommodations or access accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability should contact and register with Disability Services during the first week of class. Disability Services is the official office to assist students through the process of disability verification and coordination of appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Students currently
registered with Disability Services must obtain a new accommodation memo each semester. Contact Ernetta L. Fox, Director Disability Services, Room 119 Service Center (605)677-6389, http://www.usd.edu/dss or E-mail: dservices@usd.edu
