Syllabus
May 22nd, 2006
English
I
Course
Objectives
To
help students develop the ability to see and to think critically, to organize
thoughts effectively, and to express ideas clearly.
Class
Procedures
Short
lectures and discussions; instructor-led exercises focusing on sentence
mechanics (from the text and from students’ own papers); and writing under
the supervision of the instructor. Students are expected to complete all
reading assignments and to come to class prepared to write.
Museum
Visits
Students
will be assigned two museum visits (Timken and MOPA) and will write Essay
2 and Essay 4 based on artwork encountered there.
Text
Required
text, to be used for grammar & punctuation exercises: Langan, John.
College Writing Skills with Readings, 5th ed. McGraw-Hill:
Boston, 2001. Available at Platt College Bookstore.
Supplemental texts for reading and classroom discussion: from internet,
urls in syllabus.
Essays
During
the course, students will write four essays for evaluation (homework). These
essays will focus on visual analysis and will include elements of the expository
modes traditionally exercised in Composition I courses: description, narration,
persuasion, argumentation, comparison & contrast, and cause & effect.
Final
Exam
The
final exam will be an in-class essay. Neither notes nor source materials
will be allowed in the classroom during final exam.
Grading
Grades
will be based on skills improvement, classroom participation, attendance,
and quality of analysis. Papers will be noted: excellent (A); very
good (B+); good (B); okay©; inadequate (D); & resubmit for grade
(F).
Preparation
of Manuscripts
Work
written in class will require 8 1/2×11 paper. Write on one side of the
paper only, using blue or black ink. Write on every other line and leave
adequate margins on both sides & between lines for comments and additions.
Papers must be neat and legible. Include name, essay number & title,
and page number on upper right hand corner of every page.
Always turn in generating, organizing, all drafts, and print-outs
of reference sources. Because instructor
is low-vision, homework must be typed in san serif 18 pt, double-spaced.
Late
Papers
Late
papers will receive a grade lowered by one letter grade. No late papers
will be accepted one week after the due date unless approved by the instructor
in advance.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
is the act of using another person’s words and ideas as if they were one’s
own. Plagiarism is stealing, and is unworthy of a creative person. Collaboration
is fine, but always be careful to give credit to your source if you borrow
another’s words or ideas!
Useful
Grammar Sites
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/” target=”new”>http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
& http://www.evergreen.edu/writingcenter/handouts/grammar/locating.pdf
Weekly
Schedule
Week
1
Explanation
of the course and syllabus.
In-class writing (baseline paper).
Introduction to sentence
surgery.
Introduction
to three-part visual analysis.
Introduction to steps
of the writing process.
Lard Ratio
(Essay 1 Assignment).
Week
2
Essay
1 due
(Lewis
Hine Photograph)
Practicum:
sentence surgery.
Visual
analysis (use of themes) and in-class writing:
Astarte,
Anahita,
Inanna,
Ishtar
Visual
Analysis: Breughal
Essay
2 Assignment: Go to Timken Museum (Balboa Park); write visual analysis of
Pieter Breughal’s Parable
of the Sower,1557
Week
3
Essay
2 due (Parable
of the Sower, Breughal)
Practicum:
sentence surgery.
Visual
analysis (movement) and in-class writing: Munch
Scream,
Mucha Dance,
Balla
Dog
on Leash, Duchamp Nude
Descending , Toulouse Latrec Jockey,
Gaudi Facade
,
Essay
3 Assignment:write visual analysis of a full-color glossy magazine advertisement
or billboard which demonstrates movement.
Week
4
Essay
3 due (Commercial
art)
Practicum:
sentence surgery.
Visual
analysis (atmospheric & geometric perspective) and in-class
writing:
Brunelleschi; Raphael Marriage &
School
of Athens; Leonardo Last
Supper; Tintoretto Last
Supper;
Caravaggio; Breughal;
JMW Turner; Bierstadt
,
Essay
4 Assignment: Go to Museum
of Photographic Arts (Balboa Park); write visual analysis of any exhibited
photograph which demonstrates geometric
or atmospheric perspective.
Week
5
Essay 4
due
(MOPA
photograph)
Practicum:
sentence surgery.
Final
in-class essay exam
Write three-part visual analysis of one of these images: Arbus;
Hine;
Laughlin;
Meyerowitz.
