Aug/Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• Sundquist, ed.,  Cultural Contexts for Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (CC)
• Ellison,  Invisible Man (IM)
• Hodges, et. al., Harbrace College Handbook (HH)

Purpose of Course:
This course will help you develop your writing skills, which, as we shall see, is intricately linked to the reading process, but more importantly to thinking in general. It will also allow you to apply these skills to the critical and analytical discussion of ideas and texts, from a wide variety of perspectives.

Course Requirements:
Attendance/Participation. Because writing can be a troublesome task, it is useful to discuss it with other people who may be having similar problems or who may have helpful advice to share. Therefore, attendance is required. In addition to everyday attendance, it is especially necessary for you to be present for peer group discussion and to be an active participant.
Unexcused absences from peer group sessions will lower the grade of your final paper.  Because of the importance of regular attendance, excessive unexcused class absences WILL result in a failing grade for the course. Excessive lates will also lower your grade. (See Official Policy )

Reading Assignments. It is important to be prepared for class discussions. For this reason, you must complete all reading assignments before class and you will be expected to submit typed responses to any assigned discussion questions for the readings at the beginning of class.

• Late Homework Assignments will receive half credit.
• All homework assignments MUST be typed.  Handwritten homework will NOT be accepted.
• Homework may also be emailed, but ONLY as MS Word Attachments, and they must be received before class begins to be considered on time.
• Extra Credit:
• There are three (3) sets of "Other Discussion Questions" associated with Invisible Man.  To receive extra-credit, you must hand in written responses to ALL of the other discussion questions for the text assigned for THAT day only.
• All three (3) sets of questions will give you one (1) bonus point to be added to your final average.

• Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent.
• Final Papers are due by the end of business on the due date. If they are not completed before class, they may submitted to Dr. Mekler in his office or in his mailbox in Holmes 202.  Papers slipped under Dr. Mekler's door will be considered late.
• Failure to hand in an Initial Paper on time will result in the loss of a full letter grade on the Final Paper.
• On peer-editing days, paper MUST be completed by the beginning of class. Students who arrive more than five minutes late to class will be subjected to the full letter grade penalty.
• Late Final papers will lose 2/3 of a letter grade for each class day.
• Initial Papers that are less than half the required length OR WHICH ARE MISSING AN OUTLINE will receive half-credit and will cause the loss of 2/3 of a letter grade on the final paper.
• Untyped papers will NOT be accepted.
• ** Plagiarism on any assignment will have dire consequences. **
• Please familiarize yourself with the policy  and let Dr. Mekler know if anything is unclear.

Grading:

Homework (including Outlines)	10%
Grammar Examination	5%
Essay Midterm Examination	10%
Essays	50%
Final Exam	25%

Assignment List (Subject to Subtle Revision):

Aug	27	Course Introduction
	29	Fragments & Run-ons  (HH): 51-75(Ex. 3, 75) Agreement  (HH): 99-112 (Ex. 3, 112) Verbs (HH):  130-31
	31	Pronouns (HH):87-98, 341-44 (Ex. 1, 95)
Sept	3	Labor Day:  No Class
	5	Modifiers & Parallelism, (HH): 325-36(Ex. 2, 330; Ex. 1, 336))
	7	Punctuation (HH): 203-56 (Ex. 2, 208; Ex. 3, 255-56)
	10	Rhetoric (HH): 367-91 Grammar Examination
	12	Washington, "Atlanta Exposition Address"  (CC): 33-38 Homework Questions
	13	Matriculation Convocation
	14	Du Bois, "Of Our Spiritual Strivings" and "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington" (CC): 39-47 Homework Questions
	17	Planning and Drafting Essays (HH): 392-417 Outline Handout Meet in Holmes G-2 Computer Lab Paragraph Assignment Due
	19	Hughes, "Cowards from the Colleges" (CC): 56-65 Homework Questions
	21	Discussion of Paper One Arguments, 459-91 Discuss Sample Outline
	24	Outline Due Quote Incorporation Exercise
	26	Discuss Sample Paper Complete a Peer Editing Sheet  Bring Sample Outline, Sample Paper, and Peer Editing Sheet with You
	28	Revision, (HH): 418-58 Paper One Due Bring Sample Outline  Paper  and Editing Sheet  with you
Oct	1	Locke, "The New Negro" (CC): 159-71 Homework Questions
	3	Wright, "12 Million Black Voices" (CC):104-111 Homework Questions
	5	Discussion of in-class essay format
	8	MidTerm Essay Examination
	10	Conferences: No Class
	12	Conferences: No Class
	15	Conferences: No Class
	17	Discussion of Paper Two Bring Sample Outline  Paper  and Editing Sheet  with you
	18	Performing Arts Convocation
	19	Paper Two Due Peer Editing Session ** No Class, But Complete Assignment ** Papers must be Emailed as MS Word attachments to Dr. Mekler  Students must also Complete Peer Editing Sheets   for 3 other Students. Students will also submit Evaluation Summary Sheets  to Dr. Mekler's mailbox by 5 pm.
	22	Ellison, IM 3-14 Homework Q's Revised Paper Two Due
	24	Ellison, IM 15-33 Homework Q's
	26	IM 34-97 Homework Q's
	29	IM 98-150 Homework Q's
	31	IM 98-150 cont. Last Day to Drop to Classes
Nov	2	Paper Three Due Peer Editing Session
	5	IM 151-250 Homework Q's
	7	IM 151-250 cont. Revised Paper Three Due
	8	Founders Day Convocation
	9	Paper Four Outline Due Peer Editing Session
	12	Paper Four Due Peer Editing Session
	14	IM 251-355  Homework Q's
	16	IM 356-461 Homework Q's
	19	IM 462-580 Homework Q's
	21	Invisible Man Wrap-Up Revised Paper Four Due
	23	Thanksgiving:  No Class
	26	Conferences: No Class
	28	Conferences: No Class
	30	Conferences: No Class
Dec	3	Paper Five Due Peer Editing Session
	5	Discussion of Paper Five
	6	Bill of Rights/Transafrica Day Convocation
	7	Revised Paper Five Due Last Day of Class (Last Day to Submit Late Assignments and Excuses for Absences and Lates)
	10	Final Essay Examination (Tentative)