University of Maryland University College Europe

ENGL281 Syllabus

Course Title Standard English Grammar, Usage, and Diction
Term TERM 1, 2005/2006
Education Center DIST-ED_EUROPE_UNDERGRAD
Faculty Member Joao Mitras - jmitras@faculty.ed.umuc.edu

Faculty Contact Information:

Joao Luis (Luis) Mitras.
E-mail: jmitras@faculty.ed.umuc.edu.
Telephone: 351 + 21 495 4411.
Cellular: 351 + 93 671 4906.

 

Course Materials:

Martha Kolln (2003). Rhetorical Grammar : Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects, 4th ed. Longman, Inc., ISBN 0321103386.
Recommended reference (one of the following):
Ramsey Fowler (2001). The Little, Brown Handbook, 8th ed. Longman, Inc. ISBN 0321075072.
or
Diana Hacker (2002) The Bedford Handbook, 6th ed. Bedford Books, ISBN 0312256310.

Course Description:

(Students for whom English is a second language should consider taking ENGL 281X instead. Fulfills the general education requirement in communications, but is not a writing course.) Prerequisite: ENGL 101 or equivalent. An overview of grammatical structures of standard formal and written English. Topics may include parts of speech, punctuation, choice and usage of words, sentence patterns, and advanced grammatical issues. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: ENGL 281 or ENGL 281X.

Course Goals/Objectives:

By the end of this course you will be able to
* Analyze a sentence: identify the parts of a sentence and identify sentence patterns
* Use your knowledge of grammar to make decisions about writing
* Craft varied, interesting, grammatical sentences
* Punctuate sentences based on rhetorical choices and sentence structure
* Determine the difference between standard and non-standard English

Course Introduction:

Course Structure
The course is divided into three major themes:
Theme 1: Understanding Sentence. In this Theme, we explore types of sentences, basic sentence patters, parts of a sentence, slots, constituents, and diagramming.
Theme 2: Understanding Phrases. We learn about verb phrases, adverb phrases, noun phrases, adjective phrases, and pronouns.
Theme 3: Making Rhetorical Choices. Theme 3 focuses on rhetoric and style-how sentences and paragraphs and punctuation are structured to convey thoughts to an audience. We'll explore rhetorical choices, choices you make as a writer, and your personal style.



How it Works
Here's how the course works:
* Refer to course schedule for weekly reading and assignments.
* Read assigned materials before you come to class and be prepared for class discussion.
* Each class will end with a quiz which covers the reading assignment.
* During the class we will discuss the concepts covered in the reading and do in-class activities to reinforce what you've learned.

Grading Information and Criteria:

Your grade will be based on the following:
25% -- Proctored Exam
20% -- Online Exam
30% -- Weekly Quizzes (Group Work)
10% -- Class Participation (including participation in group activities)
15% -- Weekly Journals

Other Information:

Each of your assignments has to be submitted on time. Your result will drop a grade (10%) for each week that it is late.
I ALWAYS try to respond to all assignments, so if you don't hear from me within 2 days, please send me an email to verify that I received it. Don't just resend or resubmit the assignment, inquire.
Please don't wait too long to contact me! Sometimes there are legitimate reasons why your assignment would be late. You should discuss these reasons with me before the deadline.

Project Descriptions:

Proctored Exam:

The proctored exam will cover the first section of the course (sentences), as well as the first three modules on phrases.
Online Exam:

The online exam will cover the remaining three modules on phrases, as well as the third section of the course, i.e., the choices we have to make when we write.

Weekly Quizzes:

Every week your group will have to complete a quiz or test that covers that week's module. You will receive an actual grade for the completed quiz, and this grade counts towards your final grade.

Weekly Writer's Journals

You will also be required to keep a writer's journal. That means a journal of your thoughts related to the topic of discussion each week. You may decide to choose from the "For Group Discussion" questions at the end of chapters or just
reflect on your understanding of the weekly topic of discussion or relate your learning to what you see, hear, and read in your weekly activities outside of class. Do make the journal personal-your own thoughts.

The journal portion of the participation grade will be based on the timeliness and responsiveness to the topic of your entries, as well as how you respond to what your colleagues have written.

Class Participation is not a project per se, although your final grade will depend very much on whether or not you have participated in class. Participation includes participation in group activities, meaningful and regular conference posting, and even a willingness to learn and ask questions.

Academic Policies:

Cases of plagiarism are handled consistent with current UMUC guidelines.
See the UMUC policies at the following URL:
http://www.umuc.edu/policy/

If it is necessary to open another section of this course to accommodate additional student enrollments, the faculty member teaching the new section may use a slightly different syllabus.

All undergraduate distance education courses require a proctored exam. For more information, go to http://www.ed.umuc.edu/de/deprocexam_procedures.html.

Course Schedule:

Module 1: INTRODUCTIONS (29 Aug – 04 Sep)
Discussion: Course overview and introductions; What you know about grammar? Parts of speech; What is grammar? Types of grammar; Levels of grammar; Standard vs. non-standard English

Quiz.

Writer's journal entry due.

Module 2: SENTENCE PATTERNS (05 Sep – 11 Sep)
Reading: Chapter 1. Read in your grammar book about the following:
* Parts of speech
* Sentences
* Phrases
Discussion: The two part sentence; Clauses; Sentences (simple, complex, compound, etc.); Sentence patterns; Diagramming

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 3: MORE ON SENTENCE PATTERNS (12 Sep – 18 Sep)

Reading: Chapter 12.
Discussion: More about sentences; Phrases; Word classes; Constituents and slots.

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 4: VERBS AND VERB PHRASES (19 Sep – 25 Sep)

Reading: Chapter 1, section on verbs; chapter 7.
Discussion: Verbs-forms, tense, aspect, mood, voice; Verb phrases-participle, infinitive; Practice with verb forms, tense, aspect, mood, voice; Nominalizations, abstract subjects.

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 5: VERBS AND VERBALS (26 Sep – 02 Oct)
Reading: Chapter 1, pg. 19; chapter 7; Read about verbs in your grammar book
Discussion: More practice with verb forms, tense, aspect, mood, voice; Verbals-participles, infinitives, gerunds
Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 6: ADVERBIALS (03 Oct – 09 Oct)

Reading: Chapter 8.
Discussion: Review of verbs; Adverbials-adverbs, prepositional phrases, verbal phrases.

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 7: NOUN PHRASES (10 Oct – 15 Oct)
Reading: Chapter 9.
Discussion: Nouns and phrases; Noun slots; Determiners; Nominals; Dangling modifiers; Absolutes; Appositives;

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.
PROCTORED EXAM WEEK.


Module 8: ADJECTIVALS (24 Oct – 30 Oct)

Reading: Chapter 10.
Discussion: Adjective phrases; Dangling modifiers

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 9: PRONOUNS (31 Oct - 06 Nov)

Reading: Chapter 13.
Discussion: Personal pronouns; The "missing" pronoun & indefinites; "we/us" as determiners; Errors with pronouns; Reflexives, reciprocals, and demonstratives.

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 10: THE RHETORIC OF SENTENCES I (07 Nov – 13 Nov)

Reading: Chapters 2 & 3.
Discussion: Cohesion; Sentence rhythm; Long and short sentences

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 11: THE RHETORIC OF SENTENCES II (14 Nov – 20 Nov)

Reading: Chapters 5 & 6.
Discussion: Coordination; Subordination; Brevity.

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 12: STYLE (21 Nov – 27 Nov)
Reading: Chapter 4.
Discussion: Writer's voice, stylistic choices;

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 13: MORE ON STYLE (28 Nov – 04 Dec)
Reading: Chapter 11.
Discussion: Your style

Writer's journal entry due.

Quiz.


Module 14: RHETORIC OF PUNCTUATION (05 Dec – 11 Dec)

Reading Assignment: Chapter 12 .
Discussion: Punctuation.
Writer's journal entry due

Quiz (Punctuation).


Module 15: COURSE REVIEW (12 Dec – 17 Dec)

REVIEW pre-test.
FINAL EXAM (online).

Faculty Bio:



I have an MA in English, as well as an MA in American Studies. At present I am working on my doctoral dissertation.
I have published a number of essays in academic journals. These have to do with theater, film, psychoanalysis and postmodern/African literature.


Last updated by Joao Mitras: August 22, 2005, 8:49 pm