W140+Honors

English W140 is the honors first-year composition course at IUPUI. Students use guided self-placement to choose this course. Many honors college students place themselves into W140; some students choose W140 because they enjoy writing and want a greater challenge. We usually have about 4 sections of W140 each academic year. I have taught the course since fall 2010. We use the same course goals as W131 composition and look for ways to give W140 students more challenging projects and readings.

Syllabus Fall 2013
//As you'll see in the syllabus and course materials, the theme I chose this semester was Language and Writing. I put together// //a reader of essays and articles that students read, responded to, and integrated into their individual projects.//

Project One: Language in Our Lives
//Students are asked to think about the many roles language has played in their lives; they choose one significant// //experience to narrate and analyze. Note: I use the term "project" instead of "paper" in order to have students think// //outside their prior conceptions of a school "paper." Each major assignment in W140 is instead an inquiry project.//

//Students are asked to write an analytical essay exploring a question related in some way to writing. They may approach "writing" from any//
//perspective that seems interesting. They are asked to synthesize their own ideas and experiences with the ideas of at least one writer// //in our course anthology.//

Project Three: A Question About Language and Society
//Students are asked to explore a question or issue raised by our course readings and discussions. This project can result in one longer paper of 5-6 pages, or two shorter papers. Students should demonstrate their ability to wrestle with texts and their ideas, synthesizing their ideas with those of at least 2-4 writers.//

Final Portfolio
//As in all sections of first-year composition, W140 students are asked to choose some writing from the semester for final revision and presentation, showing their accomplishment of course goals. They introduce this portfolio with a reflective essay.//

Grading "Contract"
//For several years, I have used a grading "contract" or "covenant" in first-year writing. I have tried versions of this approach in earlier years, and have long thought about ways to minimize grading and emphasize response, self-assessment, and intrinsic motivation. Obvious inspirations include Alfie Kohn and Peter Elbow; I've attached below some of their work that has influenced me. The grading "contract" (it isn't really a legal contract so that language bothers me somewhat) is in the syllabus, but I have pasted it in below for ease of reference.//

Your classmates and I will respond to your work frequently to help you become a better writer. This //evaluation// of your work is more important than the //grading// of your work. We have to give grades at IUPUI, but you should focus more on evaluation and learning than grading. (See grading contract for further reassurance.)

To earn a “B” in the course requires regular attendance, keeping up with weekly reading and writing, coming to class prepared, submitting assignments on time, contributing to group work, keeping up with your writer’s notebook, revising **in substantive, meaningful ways** each major assignment, and editing each major assignment for your readers’ ease and pleasure. //It does not seem difficult for honors first-semester college students to earn a B on this basis, but my experience and that of other instructors suggests that it is quite easy to fall short of this B when students do not keep up with the course on a class-by-class basis. You cannot wait until the night before an assignment is due as you may have done in high school or even in some college courses. You cannot blow off what seems to you “minor” or “busy” work because you are confident you can ace “major” work. I will, without hesitation, give you the C or D you earn. Your status as an honors student or your high school GPA or your SAT will not take the place of steady, hard, responsible, thoughtful work.//

To earn an “A” in the course requires demonstrating excellence, going above and beyond, as determined by criteria that we will agree on together. Yes, as teacher I have the final say, but your self-evaluation and dialogue with me will be important.

An article by Danielewicz and Elbow on Grading Contracts

Alfie Kohn's website includes a number of his articles about grading, as well as information about his books and speaking appearances. The page below puts his articles into categories, including one on Grading and Assessment. http://www.alfiekohn.org/articles_subject.htm