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Welcome to EGL 097!
Dear Student:
I hope you're looking forward to developing
your writing skills this semester. I'm hoping that each of you will set this as a
goal --being able to write well is such a wonderful advantage in our "computer"
society. Please purchase the book right away so you can get
started. Experience has shown me that a positive ATTITUDE toward
learning goes a long way toward getting better at writing. Of course, the
willingness to actually practice writing is necessary, too.
If you're ready to dedicate the time and energy necessary to
improve your writing skills -- I'm with you 100%! You should plan on spending
between 6 and 10 hours per week doing the assignments (reading and writing) for this
class-- that's in addition, of course, to our time in class. If you have a heavy
work or school schedule that doesn't allow you to allocate this kind of time this
semester, give yourself a gift --drop the course and sign up for it when you have a
less hectic schedule. I really believe that Life is too short to struggle and fail because
we set ourselves totally unachievable and unrealistic goals.
So, if you have the
time, energy, and dedication to improve your writing, let's get started! MD
Note: We meet
in the computer
lab. If you're not very "computer literate", this will give
you the opportunity to practice. I'll help you with the technology -- we just use
word processing. I think it's important to learn to write on a computer.
 Getting Started
- After you have read this page, go to the syllabus and read it. This
contains information crucial to your learning and passing this course.
- Purchase the textbook and skim through it so you know how it is formatted and
what it contains. It helps to read the Table of Contents.
- Read your course calendar and note the due dates.
- Prepare a weekly schedule, including time for EGL 097 homework (allocate10 hours
per week)
- Come to class prepared to learn and participate -- See you there!
 Success Tips.
- Do the assignments on time -- so you can get feedback from me.
- Be willing to rewrite-- that's the way we improve our writing!
- Fill in your "grammar" gaps -- we all have them. We'll do some
grammar together, but since everyone's "gaps" are different, I'll be assigning
you individual grammar and mechanics chapters to work in. The tricky part is applying
these areas to your writing.
- Spelling problems? You're not alone. (I can never remember if
occassion has
two c's, two s's -- oops. It's "occasion"!) Plan on keeping a
"commonly misspelled words" list in your notebook. (Spell them
correctly!) Then, when you write something, check your list. This really
works..
- Read, read, read, this web site as well as anything else you can get your hands
on. Words are the tools of communication -- you need as many as possible to work
with -- without the words (vocabulary), writing doesn't happen. If you hired a carpenter
to make you some new kitchen cabinets and she showed up with just a hammer -- no saws,
nails, measuring tape, leveler, etc -- would you expect good cabinets? Or any at
all?
- EXPAND YOUR WORKING VOCABULARY Keep a list
of new words you want to try to use; purchase and use a
thesaurus (book of synonyms); practice using new words in your writing and
speech.
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