SYLLABUS
Spring 2022
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Associate Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
hidalgo5@msu.edu
alexandrahidalgo.com
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Associate Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
hidalgo5@msu.edu
alexandrahidalgo.com
Course Goals and Outcomes
This writing workshop seeks to help you foster a writing practice you will continue to nurture throughout your career. In this course you will:
1. Develop a regular writing practice that works to suit your particular needs and talents. You may need to review your approach to writing a few times over the semester but as the semester comes to an end you should have a better sense of the kind of schedule and approach to writing that works best for you.
2. Learn to receive constructive critiques of your writing and apply them toward revision, as well as to articulate why you’ve accepted some of the provided feedback and rejected other suggestions.
3. Provide written and oral critiques to fellow writers in ways that are helpful and give them guidance and support as they revise their work.
4. Develop a sense of publishing venues available to you and the kind of work they tend to publish.
A word about terminology: This course is called a writing workshop and I’m using the writing terminology for it. However, class members are welcome to work in their medium of choice—alphabetic writing, web texts, video, podcasts, and other media are welcome. In order to avoid clunky language and endless forward slashes, I am using the term “writing” throughout. I hope that those of you working on non-written media will not feel excluded by this. We will make sure your particular creative processes are part of our class discussions.
1. Develop a regular writing practice that works to suit your particular needs and talents. You may need to review your approach to writing a few times over the semester but as the semester comes to an end you should have a better sense of the kind of schedule and approach to writing that works best for you.
2. Learn to receive constructive critiques of your writing and apply them toward revision, as well as to articulate why you’ve accepted some of the provided feedback and rejected other suggestions.
3. Provide written and oral critiques to fellow writers in ways that are helpful and give them guidance and support as they revise their work.
4. Develop a sense of publishing venues available to you and the kind of work they tend to publish.
A word about terminology: This course is called a writing workshop and I’m using the writing terminology for it. However, class members are welcome to work in their medium of choice—alphabetic writing, web texts, video, podcasts, and other media are welcome. In order to avoid clunky language and endless forward slashes, I am using the term “writing” throughout. I hope that those of you working on non-written media will not feel excluded by this. We will make sure your particular creative processes are part of our class discussions.
Required Texts
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. Published by Anchor, 1995.
Our course website has links to additional readings.
Our course website has links to additional readings.
Assignments
Writing Practice Plan (12%)
As our readings will show, in order to be a successful writer you need to have a regular writing practice. We will talk more about what this regularity means, but for the purpose of this class, I am asking that everyone spend five hours writing each week. It is up to you how you break up these hours. You will explain the breakup and what kinds of rewards you plan to provide for yourself when you succeed in the Writing Practice Plan.
The plan is due on the second week of class in order to get you started. You can, and likely will, change your writing schedule as you find out what works and what doesn’t work for you.
Writing Journal (10%)
The writing journal helps you make sense of how well your writing practice and your plan for getting in your five hours of writing a week are working. Feel free to also jot down ideas for the writing you’re doing and plan to do in the future, as well as whatever frustration, elation, and everything in between you may be feeling around your creative/intellectual process.
Where to Publish Presentation (10%)
As our readings show, one of the key ways to become a good writer is to know who you’re writing for. Having a sense of what a particular journal publishes will help you craft a piece that will work well with their style and will provide you with guidance as you work. You will select one journal, look over their submission requirements, and read three articles that are in the same vein as your own. You will share your findings with the class in a 15-minute presentation.
Your Writing Strategies Presentation (10%)
You will give a ten-minute presentation in which you share some of your writing strategies and preferences with the class. You can speak generally about what works for you, but you should also provide specific examples from a project you’re working or have worked on in the past. This presentation should cover at least two of the three stages of writing: planning/research, writing, and revision.
Workshop #1 (10%)
You will provide the class with a work in progress that will be workshopped by the group. You can submit work in any genre (alphabetic writing, web text, video, podcast, etc. Although this should be a work in progress, you should aim to submit something that is as complete a draft as possible so we can provide you with useful, holistic feedback. Please do not submit anything over 6,000 words or over 25 minutes in length.
Workshop #2 (10%)
Based on suggestions made, you will submit a revised version of the piece we discussed in Workshop #1. You will write a short memo explaining which changes you made based on suggestions and which changes you did not make and why you chose to ignore that particular advice.
Workshop #3 (10%)
You will provide the class with a second work in progress that will be workshopped by the group. You can submit work in any genre (alphabetic writing, web text, video, podcast, etc.). Although this should be a work in progress, you should aim to submit something that is as complete a draft as possible so we can provide you with useful, holistic feedback. Please do not submit anything over 6,000 words or over 25 minutes in length.
Workshop Feedback (12%)
You are expected to provide comments on your classmate’s work in written and oral form. For the written part, you should use track changes to comment and write summative comments at the end. You should also be prepared to participate in the discussion of each class member’s piece during class time and to do so in a constructive fashion.
Final Portfolio (16%)
For your final portfolio you will collect your three workshop pieces, as well your (revised) Writing Practice Plan and write a 4-5-page (1,200-1,500 words) cover letter, where you reflect on what you’ve learned about your writing—the writing itself and your writing practice—this semester and draft a plan for sustaining your writing practice over the summer and beyond.
As our readings will show, in order to be a successful writer you need to have a regular writing practice. We will talk more about what this regularity means, but for the purpose of this class, I am asking that everyone spend five hours writing each week. It is up to you how you break up these hours. You will explain the breakup and what kinds of rewards you plan to provide for yourself when you succeed in the Writing Practice Plan.
The plan is due on the second week of class in order to get you started. You can, and likely will, change your writing schedule as you find out what works and what doesn’t work for you.
Writing Journal (10%)
The writing journal helps you make sense of how well your writing practice and your plan for getting in your five hours of writing a week are working. Feel free to also jot down ideas for the writing you’re doing and plan to do in the future, as well as whatever frustration, elation, and everything in between you may be feeling around your creative/intellectual process.
Where to Publish Presentation (10%)
As our readings show, one of the key ways to become a good writer is to know who you’re writing for. Having a sense of what a particular journal publishes will help you craft a piece that will work well with their style and will provide you with guidance as you work. You will select one journal, look over their submission requirements, and read three articles that are in the same vein as your own. You will share your findings with the class in a 15-minute presentation.
Your Writing Strategies Presentation (10%)
You will give a ten-minute presentation in which you share some of your writing strategies and preferences with the class. You can speak generally about what works for you, but you should also provide specific examples from a project you’re working or have worked on in the past. This presentation should cover at least two of the three stages of writing: planning/research, writing, and revision.
Workshop #1 (10%)
You will provide the class with a work in progress that will be workshopped by the group. You can submit work in any genre (alphabetic writing, web text, video, podcast, etc. Although this should be a work in progress, you should aim to submit something that is as complete a draft as possible so we can provide you with useful, holistic feedback. Please do not submit anything over 6,000 words or over 25 minutes in length.
Workshop #2 (10%)
Based on suggestions made, you will submit a revised version of the piece we discussed in Workshop #1. You will write a short memo explaining which changes you made based on suggestions and which changes you did not make and why you chose to ignore that particular advice.
Workshop #3 (10%)
You will provide the class with a second work in progress that will be workshopped by the group. You can submit work in any genre (alphabetic writing, web text, video, podcast, etc.). Although this should be a work in progress, you should aim to submit something that is as complete a draft as possible so we can provide you with useful, holistic feedback. Please do not submit anything over 6,000 words or over 25 minutes in length.
Workshop Feedback (12%)
You are expected to provide comments on your classmate’s work in written and oral form. For the written part, you should use track changes to comment and write summative comments at the end. You should also be prepared to participate in the discussion of each class member’s piece during class time and to do so in a constructive fashion.
Final Portfolio (16%)
For your final portfolio you will collect your three workshop pieces, as well your (revised) Writing Practice Plan and write a 4-5-page (1,200-1,500 words) cover letter, where you reflect on what you’ve learned about your writing—the writing itself and your writing practice—this semester and draft a plan for sustaining your writing practice over the summer and beyond.
Zoom Meeting Etiquette
Because so much of the class depends on our ability to connect to each other, I would really appreciate it if you would leave your zoom video on. I realize that sometimes you may be unable to have your camera on for a variety of reasons, but if we could all make an effort to be on camera for as long as we can during our class, it will be a lot easier for us to have the conversations we need to have and to connect in the ways I hope we can connect with each other through this learning experience.
If you feel more comfortable using an image background, please do so. We don’t need to see your space, just you. And, of course, if you need to turn off your video, do so. You can always turn it off when fellow students are presenting, since they will be sharing their screen.
Although I know that many of you probably enjoy Zoom’s chat function, I struggle to teach a class and pay attention to the chat, especially when the chat becomes very active. By all means use it, but know that I won’t be checking it all the time and other students may not be checking it either, as they try to also pay attention to the ongoing conversation. Let’s also do our best to keep the chat focused on the discussions we’re having, so as to not overwhelm those who are paying attention to the chat and the live conversation with too much information.
If you feel more comfortable using an image background, please do so. We don’t need to see your space, just you. And, of course, if you need to turn off your video, do so. You can always turn it off when fellow students are presenting, since they will be sharing their screen.
Although I know that many of you probably enjoy Zoom’s chat function, I struggle to teach a class and pay attention to the chat, especially when the chat becomes very active. By all means use it, but know that I won’t be checking it all the time and other students may not be checking it either, as they try to also pay attention to the ongoing conversation. Let’s also do our best to keep the chat focused on the discussions we’re having, so as to not overwhelm those who are paying attention to the chat and the live conversation with too much information.
Attendance
We will be doing things during every class meeting that cannot be replicated outside the classroom, and as a result I would like you to be there for every session. I’ll do my best to make you want to come to class and make class worth your while. In exchange, I expect you to come to class prepared and to contribute to our activities and discussions.
I realize that during a pandemic things may come up to prevent you from attending that don’t usually come up during a regular semester. Issues with internet connectivity or with your physical and mental health, as well as looking after children, relatives, and/or partners at home play a much larger role in our lives in times like the one we’re undergoing right now.
Traditionally for a grad course, which meets only once a week, missing more than one class impacts your grade. Given the way COVID is affecting our lives, however, I’m trying to make room for situations that prevent you from attending without affecting your grade. Ideally you will let me know in advance if you’re missing class, but if you can’t, please contact me as soon as possible so we can figure out a way to make up for what you missed.
If you regularly miss class, however, it will be hard for you to pass this course. This is a class that features conversations about each other’s work and presentations from classmates. It will be hard to replicate that experience if you miss our time together with regularity. I’ll do my best to help you make up for lost experiences but please do your best to come to class when we meet.
I realize that during a pandemic things may come up to prevent you from attending that don’t usually come up during a regular semester. Issues with internet connectivity or with your physical and mental health, as well as looking after children, relatives, and/or partners at home play a much larger role in our lives in times like the one we’re undergoing right now.
Traditionally for a grad course, which meets only once a week, missing more than one class impacts your grade. Given the way COVID is affecting our lives, however, I’m trying to make room for situations that prevent you from attending without affecting your grade. Ideally you will let me know in advance if you’re missing class, but if you can’t, please contact me as soon as possible so we can figure out a way to make up for what you missed.
If you regularly miss class, however, it will be hard for you to pass this course. This is a class that features conversations about each other’s work and presentations from classmates. It will be hard to replicate that experience if you miss our time together with regularity. I’ll do my best to help you make up for lost experiences but please do your best to come to class when we meet.
Collegiality
Sharing our work with others in draft form is an extremely vulnerable act. Providing feedback to others is also vulnerable in its own ways. When we share our ideas with others as they are still being formed, we’re exposing our thoughts in a fragile, incomplete state. Please deliver your feedback keeping in mind that you’re engaging with the writing, not the person who wrote the work. When receiving feedback, process it as feedback on your writing, not on you as a person. I will moderate the conversation in order to make sure we are as productive and constructive as possible in the ways we treat each other’s work, but let’s all enter these conversations with a desire to help each other see new possibilities for our writing and with an understanding that we are engaging in a delicate task at a time when we are all a little on edge after almost two years of dealing with the pandemic and the uncertainty it has engendered.
Kindness
We are all learning together and trying to help each other become better writers. When we are at first formulating ideas, they can come out sounding a little funny, silly, unfinished, undercooked, and so on. As we listen to each other, let’s do so with kindness. Articulating our thoughts and hearing others articulate theirs is key to honing our own writing craft and helping others do the same. Let’s address each other understanding that we are all on the same boat as we work through our thoughts and ideas together.
Evaluation of Work and Participation
You need to complete all course assignments in order to pass this class. You should submit your work on time. I usually only accept late work if you consult with me prior to the class period in which it is due. However, given that we are undergoing a pandemic, I will look at late work on a case-by-case basis. Please get in touch with me if you’re late on an assignment and together we’ll come up with a timeline for you to complete it. One thing I would like you to keep in mind, though, is that for this class to work, you should provide feedback to your classmates before we discuss their work. Because we’re doing feedback together as a class, you will not be able to add to the discussion if you haven’t read their work by the time we’re talking about it. If you’re struggling to get the assignments completed, reach out and we’ll try to find a way to get you back on track.
I would like you to fulfill all requirements of the work as outlined on the assignment description in order to get credit. Because this is a graduate course, however, I will not grade your work. I will, of course, provide feedback, but as long as you turn something in that meets the assignment requirements, you will get full credit. Please set up a meeting with me if you’re concerned about your performance in the course.
I would like you to fulfill all requirements of the work as outlined on the assignment description in order to get credit. Because this is a graduate course, however, I will not grade your work. I will, of course, provide feedback, but as long as you turn something in that meets the assignment requirements, you will get full credit. Please set up a meeting with me if you’re concerned about your performance in the course.
Services and Resources
MSU Writing Center: http://writing.msu.edu. 432-3610. 300 Bessey Hall. The MSU Writing Center is the primary writing resource on campus. You’ll also find satellite centers in several campus locations including the main library.
MSU ESL Lab: http://www.elc.msu.edu. 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: http://lrc.msu.edu. 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries: http://www.lib.msu.edu.
Purdue OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
MSU ESL Lab: http://www.elc.msu.edu. 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: http://lrc.msu.edu. 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries: http://www.lib.msu.edu.
Purdue OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
Americans with Disabilities Act
In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.
Title IX Mandatory Reporting
Michigan State University is committed to fostering a culture of caring and respect that is free of relationship violence and sexual misconduct, and to ensuring that all affected individuals have access to services. For information on reporting options, confidential advocacy and support resources, university policies and procedures, or how to make a difference on campus, visit the Title IX website. As the instructor, I must report the following information to other university offices (including the Department of Police and Public Safety) if you share it with me verbally, in writing, in conversation during or outside class, and/or as part of your course assignments:
http://titleix.msu.edu/make-a-report/index.html
- Suspected child abuse/neglect, even if this maltreatment happened in the past;
- Allegations of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, or sexual harassment; and
- Credible threats of harm to oneself or to others.
http://titleix.msu.edu/make-a-report/index.html
Basic Needs Support
Any student in this class who experiences difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in our course, is urged to contact Danielle DeVoss (devossda@msu.edu), the Director of Graduate Programs in WRAC. You may also contact the MSU Food Bank (http://foodbank.msu.edu) for help getting access to healthy foods.
In addition to the above steps, the Graduate School at MSU offers a range of resources for graduate students, including support groups for work-life balance, health care, and support for mental health counseling. For more information, please visit: https://grad.msu.edu/partners-in-wellness. If you are caring for children, and need support finding and paying for care, you may seek support from the Student-Parent Resource Center (http://studentparents.msu.edu).
Furthermore, if you are experiencing any other challenges with basic needs, you may also notify me, and I will work to connect you with any resources that I may have access to.
In addition to the above steps, the Graduate School at MSU offers a range of resources for graduate students, including support groups for work-life balance, health care, and support for mental health counseling. For more information, please visit: https://grad.msu.edu/partners-in-wellness. If you are caring for children, and need support finding and paying for care, you may seek support from the Student-Parent Resource Center (http://studentparents.msu.edu).
Furthermore, if you are experiencing any other challenges with basic needs, you may also notify me, and I will work to connect you with any resources that I may have access to.
Ethics and Academic Integrity
In order to learn what this course is trying to teach you, you are expected to develop original work for this course. Therefore, you may not submit coursework you completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this course.
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that “The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.” In addition, we will adhere to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU website.) Students who violate MSU academic integrity rules may receive a penalty grade, including a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Make an appointment to speak with me if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your coursework.
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that “The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.” In addition, we will adhere to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU website.) Students who violate MSU academic integrity rules may receive a penalty grade, including a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Make an appointment to speak with me if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your coursework.
Disruptive Behavior
Article 2.3.5 of the Academic Freedom Report (AFR) for students at Michigan State University states: “The student's behavior in the classroom shall be conducive to the teaching and learning process for all concerned.” Article 2.3.10 of the AFR states that “[t]he student has a right to scholarly relationships with faculty based on mutual trust and civility.” General Student Regulation 5.02 states: “No student shall . . . interfere with the functions and services of the University (for example, but not limited to, classes . . .) such that the function or service is obstructed or disrupted.” Students whose conduct adversely affects the learning environment in this classroom may be subject to disciplinary action through the Student Faculty Judiciary process.
Questions?
If you have questions, feel free to email me, come to my Zoom office hours, or make an appointment.
