This course has the following as objectives:

 I.            This course is designed to enable students, through constant participation in the online activities,

·        to know the writing mechanics, correct grammar and English usages;

·        to apply a variety of expository forms in their writings;

·        to comfortably express their opinions in writing, and overcome the writer's blocks they encounter in English writing.

 II.         Through reading and writing practices students are encouraged to search for alternative ways of perceiving a thing or an issue.

 III.       This writing course aims to facilitate students' writing process from reading to thinking, from thinking to expressing and structuring their ideas, and revising their essays.

課程內容大綱
Expository writing explains ideas and attitudes with different rhetorical modes, of which two major modes are the argumentative and the narrative writing.  Narrative writing, which tells stories, chronicles events, and/or describes pictures, make the ideas explained in expository writing concrete, interesting and more easily understood.  Argumentative writing, on the other hand, makes claims and provides evidence to support them in order to convince its readers.  Although expository writing is less insistent in persuasion than argumentative writing is in advancing its ideas, the rhetoric skills and logic of persuasion used in the former can be adopted to make the ideas explained convincing and well-rounded.  Besides these two major modes, we will also practice different modes of developing ideas: definition, comparison and contrast, cause and effect.

Besides learning the modes of writing, what else does a good English writing require?  An understanding of correct and effective English is the fundamental requirement for clear thinking and expression, so we will also do the grammar practice every week.  But if one has already known how to spell, punctuate and compose sentences with correct grammar, can we assume that he or she can write well?  The answer is no.  Writing well involves not only following writing mechanics without feeling inhibited, but also an ongoing process of sharpening our thinking and broadening our perspectives.  To start writing, we should let our ideas flow, but then we need to consider all the mechanics of writing-grammar, organization of paragraph and essay, modes of writing and rhetoric.  Learning these mechanics of writing is inevitable because writing applies the rules or conventions commonly accepted, just like the formation of language itself.  If writing, as one of the most effective ways of expressing and communicating human thoughts, is an embodiment of thinking, the mechanics you are going to learn in this class is the body to allow the ideas to flow, or a physical shape with appropriate arrangement of limbs and organs.  In order to build this basis we will first focus on the writing mechanics for producing a well-structured paragraph with topic sentences and supporting ideas.  The second step is to organize the supporting ideas, then to write thesis statement, and finally to organize paragraphs into an essay.   

    Last but not the least, writing requires thinking.  Some of you, however, may become too serious when doing expository writing, forgetting that expository writing still needs creativity and originality.  Expository writing, indeed, needs reasoning and thinking, but even the most objective ideas come from or are related to something personal: your experiences, feelings, likes and dislikes, and your judgments.  This course aims to encourage you not just to be satisfied with writing down the ideas commonly known or generally accepted, but to search for your alternative ways of perceiving a thing or an issue.  Our ideas, however, cannot be generated without stimuli.  Therefore, reading materials related to the weekly topic is required; part of our endeavor in this course is to make possible a transition from reading to thinking, thinking to idea expression, and then from idea expression to writing.

    The power and influence of writing on ourselves can only appear when we look back.  For many writers, writing is not only a form of thinking, but also an activity through which they sharpen thinking skills and discover more about their selves.  Hopefully, through the process of constantly reading others' articles, knowing the writing mechanics, and practicing your own writings, you will grow as intellectuals as your thoughts are better organized and expressed in English, as you find pleasure in writing with creativity!!!

作業說明
評分標準
1.      Weekly Assignments (50%)
a. Two Journals (6%)-Each Journal (3%)
b. Four Quiz (12%)-Each Quiz (3%)
c. Four Writing Exercises (12%)-Each Exercise (3%)
d. Composition:
   ---Narration and Description (10%)-2 Drafts
   ---Expository Writing (10%)-2 Drafts

2.      Online Discussion and Performance (10%)

3.      Midterm Exam (20%)

4.      Final Exam (20%)

其他