ETWR 1372: Grammar and Style for the TW
About the Course
Specifications
27985. Online version. Summer 2011. Cross-listed as ETWR 1072 for continuing ed students.
Description
In Grammar & Style, you review the basic building blocks of the sentence--parts of speech,
parts of the sentences, verbal phrases, and clauses--as well as fundamentals of the paragraph. You also get a review of common grammar, usage, and punctuation rules. All of this
review builds up to the real focus of the course: sentence style, in particular, clarity, conciseness, and emphasis in sentences. This course is designed for majors in Austin Community
College’s Technical Communications program and for professionals in the workplace in
general who want to refresh or improve their writing.
Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course should be able to do the following:
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Online
Define “good writing. Be able to discuss the qualities of good writing in terms of your
own goals and career perspective, as well as in terms of the larger perspective. Be able
to explain the role of style, grammar, usage, and correctness in your perspective on
good writing.
Use standard sentence terminology. Be able to discuss the characteristics of writing using
standard terminology for the parts of speech, parts of the sentence, verbal phrases and
clauses, and other sentence elements. Be able to approach your own writing using that
terminology as your tools of analysis.
Apply common grammar, usage, and punctuation rules. Review such classics of writing
“correctness” as the comma splice, the fragment, lack of parallelism, dangling or misplaced modifiers, agreement errors, and so on. Also, review and get some practice with
the marks of punctuation--in particular, the comma.
Analyze paragraph structure: content, organization, transitions. Learn techniques for building in additional useful content in paragraphs and for reviewing and revising the organization and transitions of paragraphs.
Revise common sentence-style problems. Learn to recognize the common style-level problems involving passive voice, expletives, nominalizations, redundant phrasing, and
noun stacks.
Apply advanced writing-style concepts. Learn and apply the writing-style concepts in
Joseph M. Williams’ Style: characters, action, clarity, cohesion, coherence, emphasis,
concision, shape, and elegance. Practice these concepts on examples as well as on your
own writing.
How does this online thing work?
I’ll send a weekly message through Blackboard to let you know what’s on the plan for the
week, along with any links to additional readings.
You have this syllabus and your course schedule. You’re expected to read and keep up with
your work, turning in assignments on time.
We will have asynchronous discussion forums to discuss issues in the book. We may also
meet in “real-time” to have some good grammar and style fun. I’ll set up a day and time to
do this.
ETWR 1372: Grammar and Style for the TW
About the Instructor
Specifications
Amanda Crocker. M.A. Texas Tech University. B.A. University of North Alabama.
Office
TBA
Contact
Email: [email protected]
I answer all emails within 2 business days. I check my ACC voicemail once a week. If you email
me, and you haven’t heard back within 2 days, something has gone wrong. Email again.
Bio
After growing up in northwest Alabama and attending college there, I moved to Lubbock for
grad school. Now, I live in Austin, TX, with my husband (a math teacher) and kids. In the past,
I’ve worked as a tech writer, science writer, journalist, graphic designer, and photographer. I enjoy hiking, biking, swimming, and just about anything outdoors. I also love writing, reading, art,
travel, and watching movies.
About the Books
Readings
Style: (Ten) Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Author: Joseph Williams. Details: I use the 6th edition, but
any edition sixth or later is fine.
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Author: Mignon Fogarty. Details: Available
at Amazon and Barnes and Noble; digital editions available, too.
Other resources are online and free. Your instructor will email you links to those readings.
ETWR 1372: Grammar and Style for the TW
About the Policies
Prerequisite
ENGL 1301
Dishonesty
Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic
dishonesty (e.g., cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration
with another in preparing outside work). Academic work submitted by students shall be
the result of their thought, research, or self-expression. A first offense of plagiarism will earn
you a 15-point deduction on your final average. A second offense will earn you an F for the
course. Contact the instructor if you do not have a clear understanding of what plagiarism/academic dishonesty is.
Disabilities
Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations
through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take
the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start
of the semester.
Freedom
Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that
includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints.
These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile
topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed
in classroom discussions. R-E-S-P-E-C-T...
Assignments
You must submit your assignments to your instructor through Blackboard as PDFs only
unless otherwise instructed. Your instructor will confirm receipt of the assignment within 2
business days. If you do not receive a confirmation of receipt of that assignment, check with
your instructor to be sure the assignment was received.
Attendance
You must attend discussion forums and real-time meetings. If scheduling does not permit
you to attend the real-time meeting, let your instructor know in advance. You should log in
to our Blackboard class at least once a week. If you fail to log in for two weeks, the instructor will request a conference and you may be dropped from the course.
Incompletes
“Incompletes” are rarely granted and only for an emergency that takes place at the end of
the semester. The emergency must be documented. The student must have submitted all
work up to the point of the emergency. Contact the instructor to initiate this process.
Late Work
I do not accept late work without documented proof of an extenuating circumstance involving extended hospitalization, incarceration, or military duty.
ETWR 1372: Grammar and Style for the TW
About the Assignments/Grades
Practice
This course has a lot of practice assignments: readings, exercises, quizzes, and other activities. To
succeed in this course, you should do as many of these as possible. Some of them you might want
to do more than once.
Discussions
Within Blackboard, I will post discussion forums throughout the semester. Use these to discuss the textbook readings, grammar rules, and style concepts with each other.
Mechanics Reviews
These short and sweet mechanic reviews test your knowledge of grammar and usage.
Style Exercises
The style exercises ask you to revise sentences using the lessons you learn in the Joseph Williams text. They are challenging but very useful to learning how to master good style.
Writing Projects
You have two major writing projects in this class:
Portfolio
1. Select 1-4 writing projects (all projects must total a minimum of 3,000 words). It should
be a document of more technical/academic nature. It cannot be creative writing (fiction,
poetry, memoir). Some journalism might be OK, but be sure to check with me first.
2. Write a little bit of the project each week.
3. As we progress through the semester, apply the concepts we’ve learned as you revise.
4. Submit your project in stages during the semester for feedback. (Check the schedule for
those dates.)
5. After applying all feedback, submit your final portfolio during the second-to-last week
of class.
Final Grade
Your final grade is determined as follows:
30% Discussions, Mechanics Reviews, and Style Exercises
70% Portfolio
Final Grading Scale: 90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, and so forth.