0199

Profs. Elizabeth Howells and Holly Smith
Fall 2006
howellbe@mail.armstrong.edu
www.llp.armstrong.edu/howells
Office: 108b Gamble Hall, 927-5218
Mailbox: 108A

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to teach you how to write a successful Regents' Testing Program Essay Test. The University System Academic Committee on English describes passing Regents' Essays as follows:

3: The "3" essay shows distinction. It meets all and exceeds most of the criteria for a "2." The ideas are expressed freshly and vividly, and the essay arouses the reader's interest to a greater extent that the typical "2" essay.

2: The "2" essay meets the basic criteria. It has a central idea related directly to the assigned topic and presented with sufficient clarity that the reader is aware of the writer's purpose. The organization is clear enough for the reader to perceive the writer's plan. The paragraphs coherently present some evidence or details to substantiate the points. The writer uses ordinary, everyday words accurately and idiomatically and generally avoids both the monotony created by series of choppy, simple sentences and the incoherence caused by long, tangled sentences. Although the essay may contain a few serious grammatical errors and several mechanical errors, they are not of sufficient severity or frequency to obscure the sense of what the writer is saying.

We are going to achieve 2 and 3 essays in this course. Whether you are a repeat Regents' Test Taker or a first-time taker, working on the above will be a way to improve your writing skills to ensure success in your academic career and beyond. Furthermore, you will not be able to take the test in July without a "Satisfactory" for this course.

Required Tests:
An academic dictionary.
A handbook, the Blair or other approved handbook.

Part I Course Requirements:
1. Participation and completion of daily writing instruction exercises. This includes active class participation and written completion of tasks.

2. Completion of practice Regents' Tests in test setting in proper Test Booklets. Record scores on inside of the manila folder. All practice exams and exercises should be kept in your folder.

3. One Conference. You will meet with me in conference during the first half of this semester. You are required to complete the mandatory pre-conference questionnaire for your conference. Your responses should be thoughtful and thorough, and you should be prepared to be engaged and to participate actively in your conference.

4. You are allowed one absence. There are no excused absences. You are responsible for any work you missed. Further absences will jeopardize your success in the course.
If you complete the requirements of the course, you will be authorized to test. Upon passing the test, you will earn an "S" or Satisfactory for the course. Otherwise, your grade will be a "U."

You should be signed up for the fall test date. Sign up for the test through SHIP or at MCC 211.

8/22 Kinds of Questions, Practice Grading, practice essay
8/24 Structure, The Introduction/ Parallelism, practice essay

8/29 Body Paragraphs, Conclusions, Parts of Speech, practice essay
8/31 Lab Time/Diagnostic, practice essay

9/5 Sentence Structure, practice essay
9/7 SV agreement/ Tenses/ Agreement, practice essay