Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

 INTRODUCTION

Hello! My name is Valerie Grey, and I will be your writing instructor this term. I am from upstate New York, and I have a Bachelor's Degree in Art, a Master's in English Literature, and a PhD in Irish Literature. I have been teaching Literature and Composition at PCC since 1999.

I will be your guide throughout the course as you work on strengthening your ability to write clearly and persuasively on a variety of issues, as well as research issues that interest you. You will draft and revise three persuasive essays, using your instructor’s detailed critiques to guide the revision process. Each critique will provide comments, questions, instructions, and specific suggestions for polishing and editing your work. This term, you will have the opportunity to analyze arguments in a variety of forms, from comedic satires to editorials, speeches, and classic essays. There will also be three quizzes, which you can find under "Assignments" in D2L Brightspace.

The required text for this Intermediate English Composition course is Rottenberg and Winchell’s The Structure of Argument, 11th  Edition, available through the PCC Sylvania Bookstore. (An e-book version is available online as well.) As the course progresses, I will post additional readings week-by-week in the course modules. Zoom will facilitate class discussions and provide an opportunity to talk face-to-face.

With regular practice, and by studying the ways published writers use the tools of persuasion, you will develop new knowledge and skill as a writer. By the end of this term, you will have gained more confidence in persuading and influencing others as well as in judging arguments and evaluating their effectiveness.

Resources

The required textbook for this course, The Structure of Argument, 11th Edition, offers invaluable guidance in identifying, analyzing, and writing persuasive arguments as well as in documenting sources using the Modern Language Association style of documentation (MLA). We will read about two chapters per week. 

Essay readings will also be available on the course website (D2L) in the week-by-week course modules. Be prepared to spend 8-10 hours per week reading and responding in writing to the assigned readings. Understand that writing is a process that involves prewriting, drafting, and revising your work, and you will be required to submit topic proposals and drafts as well as completed "final drafts" of your essays. 

You are required to attend and participate in a majority (more than half) of our remote class sessions and to meet with your instructor for writing conferences via Zoom.  When you are unable to attend, be sure to listen to the Cloud recordings.

Be sure to read these items under "Course Information" on D2L: the Academic Integrity Policy, the Generative AI Policy, and the Writing Rubric, which offers a breakdown of grading criteria for each essay assignment. If you have any questions about these, do not hesitate to ask. You can email me at valerie.grey@pcc.edu.

Print and keep handy a copy of the Reading and Assignment Schedule (found on D2L under "Course Information'). Due dates for all assignments can be found there, along with a list of both required and optional readings. I will email copies of this schedule, along with the Course Syllabus, to enrolled students in advance of our first class meeting. Be sure to check your PCC email for my "welcome" email before our first class meeting. 

You will be expected to upload essays to the course website as well as email them to your instructor in Word files that allow for comments to be inserted in-text. For composing essays and uploading them to D2L, Microsoft Word is best. Word will enable you to send first drafts via email so that you can obtain detailed feedback. It is available for free through PCC, so be sure to contact the Student Help Desk at the beginning of the term to obtain Word. Call 971-722-8222. Do this right away. 

Also, make sure you have audio available to ensure you can participate in class discussions.

To meet with your instructor for Zoom conferences, you can simply click on the Class Meeting link in D2L. To request a writing conference, email me and ask for a specific window of time for the meeting.   

Most essay readings are either available online or posted on D2L in printable form (Word documents). Of the two textbooks, you are required to purchase either hard copies or eBooks. Understand that hard copies will make it easier for you to make notations on the texts -- and ensure that if you experience any technical difficulties you can still access the readings.

As you have undoubtedly learned in WR 121, writing is a process. Drafting, revision, and editing are all essential steps in this process. With each assignment you will be asked to email me a brief “topic proposal” which will help you to define and narrow your focus and to make sure you are on track to fulfill the requirements for each essay assignment. Email first drafts to me as well so that you can receive feedback in paragraphs (rather than brief notations). Final drafts of essays, however, should always be uploaded to D2L on the "Assignments" page.

Please see the syllabus or contact the Student Help Desk for more information about technology. Also, be aware that laptop computers are available on loan from the PCC Library.