ENGL3210: Introduction to Writing Studies

ENGL3210: Introduction to Writing Studies

Dr. Kyle Jensen

Office: Languages 408H

Office Hours: T, Th 2-3pm & by appointment

Email:

Website:

Overview

Writing instructors typically assume that students need a circumbscribed view of the writing process in order to conceptualize how to write more effectively. As a consequence, they tend to define revision as a stage that writers pass through on their way to improved prose. The upshot is that students learn to associate revision almost exclusively with technical improvement. They ask, "How can I develop better revision habits that help improve my prose and thereby improve my grade?" Given that writing instruction is typically framed by formal education, this is a good question for students to ask. After all, they are taking courses in writing in order to improve their technical abilities. But from the perspective of our Introduction to Writing Studies course, this question risks an attenuated engagement with the phenomenon of writing that sacrifices long term, in-depth engagements for short term demonstrations of improvement. To raise this question implies that students have first defined the phenomenon of writing in its material and historical complexity. After all, you cannot ask how to improve in a specific activity unless you have a working definition of said activity.

Because this class provides the foundation for pursuing more advanced studies of writing, we will focus on expanding our working definitions of writing. We will do so by approaching the study of writing from a what-centered rather than a how-centered perspective. A what-centered perspective recognizes that writing is a material and historical phenomenon that can be studied independent of technique-driven outcomes. It follows the lead of disciplines around the university who routinely pursue the study of writing without attempting to draw technical lessons that expedite the literate control of student prose. What distinguishes a what-centered approach to the study of writing is a desire to explain—from a historical, material and theoretical perspective—what writing teaches us about the human condition.

Of course, we can answer this question in a variety of ways. But regardless of our answer, we are positioning writing as a content area of research that is crucial for explaining how we produce knowledge, why we feel the way that we do, where humans are headed in the future, and what makes humanity different from other beings in existence (to name only a few). There are many paths through the proverbial what-centered woods. Our path in this course will be revision. Specifically, we will use the theoretical tools of textual scholarship to study the archived writing processes of professional writers. As we do so, we will examine what thesematerials teach us about writing as a material phenomenon, a historical phenomenon, and a theoretical phenomenon. If it is helpful to think about these categories in terms of questions, you can think of them as asking:

"What do archived writing processes teach us about the material nature of writing
and revision?"

"What do archived writing process teach us about the historical nature of writing
and revision?

"What do archived writing processes teach us about the theoretical nature of writing and revision?"

As we move through the course, we will learn that what-centered studies of writing do not abandon considerations of how to write more effectively. Instead, they view the question of how to write more effectively as a secondary consideration that emerges once students have developed a complicated definition of the phenomenon of writing. In terms of writing assignments, we will focus on how to write more effectively by attempting to narrate how writers resolve the problems that manifest in their archived writing processes. Learning how to narrative these processes takes considerable time and energy. But our wager is that learning to write about revision in this manner will lead to much more invested, long-term engagements with writing in the future. If you have questions about this course, please feel free to contact me: .

Required Reading

The Fluid Text by John Bryant

From Writer to Reader by Philip Gaskell

Writing the Gettysburg Address by Martin P. Johnson

A Piece of Work by Jay Woodruff

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser

Assignments

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION (10%)
You are allowed to miss no more than two classes this term before it begins to affect your grade. For every missed absence beyond two, you can expect to have a full letter grade deducted from your final grade. Participation consists of being active in class discussion and producing work consistently in your notebook.

WRITING STUDIES DICTIONARY (15%)
The purpose of this assignment is to help you track the terms that distinguish a what-centered approach to writing studies. To navigate this terrain adequately, you will need to be rigorous in your effort to locate, follow, and define each key concept. The instructions below will serve as a guide to help you organize your efforts. Basically, you will need to identify the concept, trace its appearance in each book, locate associated terms, cite a key passage, and provide a glossed definition. Initially, I will help you with this process. But as the semester unfolds, you will begin to assume responsibility for identifying and explaining the relevance of each concept to writing studies. Developing this dictionary before each class is how you will prepare to participate in discussion. You should log each concept in a Moleskine notebook or its off brand equivalent. No other formats will be accepted. If you have any questions, please speak to me after class or stop by office hours.

QUIZZES (20%)

Quizzes will consist of a handful of concept identifications. I will discuss in class which concepts you need to learn in order to pass the quiz. I would encourage you to study as a group outside of class in order to adequately prepare for the exam.

ESSAY #1 (20%)
In this two-page single-spaced essay, you will use the concepts introduced by John Bryant in The Fluid Text to analyze how a writer from the collection A Piece of Work discusses their writing process. In order for the essay to be complete, you need to offer insights into writing's material, historical, and theoretical dimensions. In other words, you will use the materials made available in A Piece of Work in order to discuss what they teach you about the phenomenon of writing. We will discuss specific strategies on how to approach this essay throughout the term.

FINAL PROJECT (35%)
Your final project will consist of a two page single-spaced essay in which you synthesize our course readings with Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie & A Sister Carrie Portfolio.

Grading Policy

My policy is to leave final grade determinations open until the day grades are due to the university. This means that if you receive a grade that you would like to change, you may revise the assignment in order to earn a higher mark. The final project is, as the title indicates, final, but you may bring drafts of your project in during office hours to gauge the type of grade you might receive.

Attendance Policy

You may miss up to three classes unexcused during the semester. After three, you final course grade will be reduced one full letter grade.

Academic Dishonesty

For UNT’s policy on academic honesty, please visit:

Drop Policy

For information regarding UNT’s course drop policy, please visit: Concerns

Disability Concerns
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.