AC English Handbook - 9

Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

Page 4
Page 5
Page 6

Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10

Group Work:

Educational research has promoted the use of student groups in the learning process. We would like to encourage group projects and group interaction for all the educational benefits they offer. Students will be assigned to study-groups early in the semester. During the semester new groups may be formed. Hypothetically, members of the group will learn to work effectively with each other--maybe even come to like each other. It is assumed that leadership wil come from within the groups; that project organizations will occur through group interaction and that the learning experiences and creativity and discoveries of individuals will be pooled to expand the learning experience for everyone in the group.

Group projects are shared projects; the grades are group grades--and written and oral group reports may be an outcome. Everyone in the group should carry the lead equally, participate equally, and therefore share the glory equally. Shirkers and irresponsible people need to become activists who will do their part and do it conscientiouisly. Don't let others shoulder your burdens.

Writing is an important part of AC English (have we said this before?). While it may not be precisely true that we live to writye, we write to survive--in this class and often in life--and most certainly in college. Therefore, we want to impress upon you the necessity of acquiring those rhetorical skills which all good writers possess. These skills move from a mastery of the basic concepts of grammar, to basic sentence structure to the elevated and traditional mastery of the rhetorical devices which have been the center of writing instruction for two thousand years. A chart illustrating the progressiona dn classification of a writing taxonomy is included here as Appendix A. Please refer to it often. These terms and the skills they encompass will become an integral part of AC 165 and 166. The skills will be taught piecemeal over tyhe course of time not necessarily in the order presented in the chart.

Also, students are reminded of the following guidelines for submitting written work:

1. All papers typed or computer completed
2. Do not write on reverse of paper
3. Follow the correct format
4. Papers should be neatly done
5. Devleop good leads
6. Use the rhetorical device

7. Double-space
8. Rewrite often
9. Keep a copy on file
10. Develop your own "voice"
11. Avoid too short or too long papers.
12. Be concise and creative
13. Avoid dull sentences--use variety

Prepared and distributed by B. Spencer and M. Thompson.