ENGLISH 100A (03): Composition I (MWF 10:30-11:20) – Georganne Nordstrom
Writing/Researching our Communities
What does it mean to write for college, and how does that prepare students for writing outside of academia? How can the writing we do in school translate to empowering students in their everyday lives? In this course we will explore the role writing plays not only in academic studies but also in our lives outside of school—the ways writing shapes how we perceive and construct the world. Because we don’t all come from or return to the same “places,” or have the same interests or majors for that matter, the best way to shape the writing we do to fit all of our needs is to identify those needs jointly. Therefore, we will begin the course by collaboratively deciding on a general course theme through which to shape the writing we do. Our communities, pop culture, and UH Mānoa will be the sites of our investigations. You will conduct “fieldwork” —writing detailed descriptions of events and/or interactions in these “places”—and we will use these texts to identify how writing can be shaped to address the issues we see as important. The course will culminate with a project that allows you to meaningfully contribute to one of your sites through writing. We will examine rhetorical strategies (audience, context, use of language, etc.) as they are used in the multitude of texts that we are exposed to every day, focusing particularly on issues that are relevant to you at this very particular time and in this place. In class, we will discuss current events on a regular basis, and our texts will include electronic texts, music, advertisements, as well as academic essays (all of which will be available online or as handouts).
You will write three short (~4 page) papers (~15% each), and the semester will culminate with a formal research project (8-10 pages; project + presentation ~40%) that you will present to the class. Each final paper will be the result of revisions, a required component of all formal papers. (The remaining ~15% of your grade will consist of class participation and other smaller assignments.)
Required Texts:
All reading and resource material will be provided in pdf or online.