Course Syllabus

Instructor: Mr. Seth Slater

Email: seth.slater@nacs.k12.in.us

Phone: 260-637-3161 x 3256

Office Hours: 6th and 7th period (1st Semester), 2nd and 7th period (2nd Semester). Before and After school, by appointment only.

Course Description: Reading, Writing, and Inquiry I (IPFW W131) is the standard first-year (collegiate) composition module, and as such, offers students an opportunity to receive 3 CR while in high school. The course assumes that you have had regular practice writing various kinds of texts (e.g. journals, letters, essays, stories, poems) for both familiar and public audiences. The course attempts to bridge high school and college contexts by beginning with a focus on the most familiar genres with a twist, moving to a close reading and analysis of a non-academic text, and finally to an argumentative paper supported with evidence and scholarly sources. Whenever possible, you will determine your own topics, purposes, and audiences. A minimum of 17-22 pages of “final” polished writing will be required by IPFW. As an Honors-level course at Carroll High School, students will produce 25-30 pages of “final” polished writing over the span of the semester-long course, in addition to many informal pieces of writing.

Thus, the course provides you with opportunities to hone your writing skills. Writing at this stage has (1) a clearly identified audience, (2) a well-articulated purpose and thesis, and (3) a structured body that fulfills its stated purpose and supports its thesis in a way accessible to its audience. Such composition is also well informed by careful research and intelligent analysis. In addition, polished writing requires following through with all phases of the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), at which you are expected to be proficient.