Welcome

This is a college-level writing course. Everything you submit should use proper grammar — including capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. That includes essays, quizzes, short assignments — everything.

Accordingly, please run a grammar and spellcheck before submitting your work. I highly recommend loading Grammarly in your browser as an extension (visit Grammarly.com or the Chrome extension site to learn more). It is free. Grammarly seems to work better than pressing the F7 key in Microsoft Word. Grammarly checks your browser’s writing online — including here, inside Spark. Automated checks may be incomplete yet may help a great deal. Every professional writer I know uses Grammarly (including me).

All assignments must use MLA format for the attached assignments. No cover sheets. More on that later. Please note that I prefer PDF files to Word docs.

When proofreading your work, please read your writing out loud — literally — preferably to a friend or family member. It should only take a minute or two. Speaking and hearing your own writing is often the simplest, quickest way to identify problems.

If possible, try to find someone who will help point out things that are unclear or need further polishing. Why? There is no such thing as a great writer who doesn’t have a great editor. Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald had Maxwell Perkins as their editor. Toni Morrison and Joseph Heller had Robert Gottlieb. John Updike and Julia Child had Judith Jones. Those great editors were a big part of how they became great writers. You could probably use an editor, too.

Along those lines, if you truly want to learn something, try to explain it to someone else. If you can teach something well, you’ve learned it well.

Finally, if you have questions, or need help, please contact me directly here on Spark, in the Messages area, or in the comments/feedback area of your specific assignments.

About the Course

Welcome to English Composition I. This course is meant to be an important foundation of your college experience. Much of your success will depend on what you learn here and now. The focus on critical thinking and communication skills should help you in college, and throughout your life.

To complete the course, you will work through each lesson or assignment from unit to unit. You may read ahead (the grammar section may be helpful), but you will need to progress step-by-step.

You will write and revise several major papers along with some short quizzes and brief writing assignments. This course is about writing, so we’ll focus largely on content, organization, analysis, and evidence. Hopefully, you are already familiar with good grammar, which is always important, but not the focus here.

The Skill of Writing Well

Writing is a skill — which is both good and bad. The good part is that anyone can learn how to write well.

The bad part is everyone has to learn how to write well.

The course is designed to help you learn to write well in three ways.

• First, we’ll cover the process of writing well, including brainstorming ideas, planning, drafting, revising, and editing papers. As they say, “Great books aren’t written. They’re re-written.”
• Second, we’ll learn critical thinking skills, including considering complex situations and problems.
• And, third, we’ll learn about rhetoric — the power of persuasion — and how to reach different audiences convincingly. They say “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Here, you will sharpen yours.

Comparing Courses

In English Composition I and II, both classes help students to learn to write well, including using critical thinking and rhetorical awareness.

However, in this course, we will cover writing in different ways — for a narrative, an evaluation, an analysis, and writing a research essay.

In English Composition II, the course will help you combine those approaches to write compelling arguments, using persuasion and research, at more complex levels.

What You Should Expect

Previous students were asked how to succeed in this course. These are some tips they offered to you:

1. Read each page of the units. 
2. Always go over your first draft multiple times before turning it in.
3. Really look at what your first submission’s criticisms are. See what you can do to fix the problems.
4. Every point is important. Do the quizzes, the reading assignments — all of it. They can make or break a grade on the edge of A-B or B-C.
5. Establish good relationships with your teacher. It helps you to write easier when you feel comfortable with the people assisting you.
6. Follow the instructions and meet the requirements. Or else.

• We expect regular effort on the course. You’re not just learning facts and repeating them; you’re learning a skill. That takes longer. Begin working as quickly as you can — and in earnest. Students who fail to begin immediately are the ones who fail this course or end up withdrawing later. Every. Single. Semester. Please, do not become one of them.
• We expect respectful interaction with faculty and staff. This is important in an online environment where tone and intent can be misinterpreted. Please just ask me first if you have any concerns at all. I’m right here — ready to help!
• Ask questions! If you are confused or would like to discuss something, please ask. I will help you succeed.