ENG 481, Fall 2007

This web site accompanies ENG 481, Topics in Composition: Style, as taught by Bradley Dilger at Western Illinois University.

Section 1, Macomb: MWF 10:00-10:50 am, Simpkins 214
Section Q02, Quad Cities: Th 5:30-8:00pm, Black Hawk College, Building 2, Room 218

If you have trouble with any of the files or links provided on this page, please contact me by email or other means.

News

11/06: I have posted more guidance on presentations.
11/05: Group work: Virginia’s methodology.
10/21: Thank you for the midterm feedback. In response to student requests, I will now waive at least one response paper grade. Feel free to take a break any week the rest of the semester, or do them all for a higher grade. I expect response papers in weeks 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15. Also, I’ve updated the course syllabus regarding absences and a few other minor things.
10/10: Response papers for Strunk & White are optional (since I have a stack already). Write one if you’ve missed or bonked on others, and I will drop a 0 or low grade.
10/03: I’m going to push back the due date for the annotated bibliography of style to 10/25 (so I have more time to grade, and you have more to write). Feel free to finish it earlier if you like. I will update the assignment sheets and syllabus soon.
09/29: Here are two sample prospectuses. Please submit your prospectus no later than Thursday, October 4 (Quad Cities) or Friday, October 5 (Macomb). I welcome questions.
09/03: I have posted tips for writing response papers, and a second response sample to boot.
09/02: Here is the schedule for leading discussions. Because of our strong enrollment, you will lead class only once this semester. This assignment is still worth 50 points. I will add 50 points to the final project to keep a 1,000 point system. I have updated the syllabus accordingly.
08/29: I wrote a sample discussion provocation from my notes for class.
08/28: Here is a sample reading response.
08/28: I have posted the annotated bibliography assignment as a web page and as a PDF, for printing.
08/24: Selections for the week of 08/27: from Longinus, On the Sublime, and Thomas Sprat, History of the Royal Society.
08/22: What was the draft is now the final semester project assignment.
08/20: I have posted the syllabus. I will begin posting assignments shortly.
03/31: I ordered books:
1. 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style by Matt Madden . Edition: 2005. Publisher: Chamberlain ISBN: 1596090782
2. Clear and Simple as the Truth by Francis-Noel Thomas, Mark Turner. Edition: 1996. Publisher: Princeton ISBN: 0691029172
3. Destiny's Style by Tina Knowles, Zoe Alexander. Edition: 2002. Publisher: Regan ISBN: 0060097779
4. MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing by Joseph Gibaldi . Edition: 2 (1998). Publisher: MLA ISBN: 0873526996
5. The Substance of Style by Virginia Postrel . Edition: 2004. Publisher: Harper Perennial. ISBN: 0060933852
6. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joe Williams. Edition: 9 (2006). Publisher: Longman. ISBN: 0321479351. Note: 7th, 8th, or 9th editions OK.
7. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. (Author), E.B. White. Edition: 4 (1999). Publisher: Allyn & Bacon ISBN: 0205313426. Note: any edition OK.
Feel free to get your books from an online source.

Handouts

Handouts use PDF format, readable by a program such as Adobe Reader.

To-do

Sample annotated bibliography entry (in progress)