CRSEPOLI 551

1999-2000 Course Policies and First Semester Syllabus for 551

Creative Writing/Journalism

Teacher: Mr. Stephen C. Hooper

1. Course Description: We develop writing talent by focusing on what is common to good journalism and good fiction and poetry: precision, color, succinctness.

2. Course Objectives: Write publishable character sketches, news stories, short stories, poems, and narratives and critique effectively another’s writing and our own.

3. Grading: 70% written, 25% oral, 5% reading.

4. Materials and "How the Course Is Run"

a. Materials

Journalism Today! (Abb., JT!)

access to daily newspaper

transparency and non-permanent marker

3-ring notebook (may be used with other courses)

paperback pronged folder

b. "How the Course Is Run"

1). Homework: We’ll have long-range and nightly homeworks. Be punctual. Explain to me in reasonable advance if/why you’ll be late. I’ll be reasonable with you. Otherwise, long-range homework one day late loses 30%; 10% each day thereafter. Homework is due in seminar. Long-range homework is on time if I receive it by the end of the day, though, seminar is the best time to turn in homeworks.

Nightly homeworks receive 3 grades:

H+ exceeds expectations

H meets expectations

H- does not meet expectations

For your nightly homework grade, each H+ adds 5% and each H- subtracts 5%. Missing homework subtracts 10%. We start with 80%. You can go over 100%

Long-range homeworks are equal to at least 3 nightlies. We cannot pass a marking period unless we have turned in all long-range homework .

Resubmission: We may resubmit homework any time during the marking period in which the homework was due, but not after October 22, 1999, January 6, 2000, March 10, 2000, and May 24, 2000. To resubmit, new homework must be stapled to old homework. New grades replace old ones. Freely use the stapler in my desk without asking.

2). Classwork grade is a measure of how much you engage yourself in discussions in the Writing Circle and in other classroom activities.

3). Reading Days: Once in 3 cycles is a silent reading day, when we bring to class a novel, "writing life" book, or short story to read. In the first semester, you are to read:

• a "writing life" book, that is, a book about journalism, or a book about what it's like to be a writer, writer's memoirs, etc.
• 6 short stories written by professionals since you were born.

• 1 novel written by a Pulitzer-, Nobel-, or National Book Award-winning OR SOME OTHER PRIZE?????????????????author
• a different "writing life" book, that is, a book about journalism, or a book about what it's like to be a writer, writer's memoirs, etc.

4). Journal: In a paperback pronged folder, keep a Journal, the core of your writing efforts for the year. See "About the Journal" below.

5). Absence: You’re responsible for missed work when absent.

Classmate’s name: ______________________ and phone no.: ________________.

6). Places I can be found: English Office, Rooms 105 and 137.

5. Course Outline

a. First Semester

Journal techniques

Writing circle techniques

Characterization

Sentence imitation and modeling professional writers

News analysis

News story and editorial writing

Legal issues in journalism

Short story principles

Poetry

b. Second Semester

News story and features story writing

Legal issues in journalism

Short story writing and preparing the manuscript for publication

Poetry

Essay writing

6. Internet site: Course material, including this syllabus, can be found at http://www.members.tripod.com/chchoop

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"About the Journal"

Every Day #1, submit your entire Journal in your pronged folder. The Journal should have 2 more entries in it than the previous time you turned it in. (Note: the first time you’ll do this will be September ___, 1999.)

Each cycle’s 2 entries consist of (1) a teacher-directed response and (2) a student-directed response. Each entry gets a fresh sheet of looseleaf . Average entries will be about 1 side of looseleaf. See example for how to head entries.

I will initial each entry in its lower right hand corner, though I will not make comments yet.

Every third Day #1, submit your entire Journal, as usual, but also indicate on an extra sheet of looseleaf which 2 of the previous 6 entries you want me to use in awarding a grade. Thus, most of the Journal grade every 3 cycles comes from entries you select. On this extra sheet of looseleaf, tell me what progress in your writing and thinking skills you think these entries reveal. (Note: the first time you do this will be September ___, 1999, but it will have only 4 entries since just 2 cycles will have been completed.)

CRSEPOLI