Introduction: This course is designed to prepare you for the writing and communication requirements that you will face at Carolina and beyond. You will work on reading and analysis skills, you will learn techniques for presenting ideas more clearly in writing, and you will have a chance to practice working in a number of different formats, including electronic text, memos, letters, analytical and research papers, and oral presentations.

We will work in groups, because that is what most of you will be called upon to do in the academic and working world. In your group you will fill the role of writer, reader editor and co-worker; you will be called upon to share your own writing, provide feedback and editing and cogent advice, and to work well with others. You may also be required to provide samples of your writing to the class as a model (I'll let you know in advance).

Assessment is an important learning tool. In addition to helping groupmates assess drafts of their course papers, you will be called upon to help score final papers. All three major project papers will be scored holistically by the students in the class, based on a simple and objective scale developed by consensus.

The texts for the course are the Allyn and Bacon Handbook, and the "Guide to Freshman Composition." You should also purchase--if you don't have one--a good college dictionary. A large amount of the discussion and editing you will do in this course will be done via computer network. All the writing is to be completed by computer and printed in a sensible font with sensible margins.

Attendance Policy: You must attend class. If you need to miss a day, tell me in advance. No late papers will be accepted without prior approval.

Honor Code: You must abide by the Honor Code, as you know; plagiarism is an Honor Code offense punishable by suspension and failure for the course.

Basis for Final Course Grade:

• Six "Lab" Papers and other written work--30%
  • I will review these assignments and grade them on a three-point scale. The better you do on the lab papers, the better you will do on the project papers.
• Three "Project" Papers--50%
  • Note that each paper will have to be revised. Both versions count, but only the revision will be graded. Best grade counts 20%, the others 15%.
• Quantity and quality of participation--20%
  • Full credit if you participate in class & virtual discussions, provide classmates with appropriate and useful feedback, and don't miss more than one class.

• Method 1: Don't hand in assignments, don't participate in discussions.
• Method 2: Miss class seven times.
• Method 3: Cheat.