Syllabus Course Number: Course Name: Creative Writing: Wheeling@gbc - Edu

Syllabus
Course Number:
Course Name:
ENG 256 GB
Creative Writing
MW 11:15-1:45, Session I
Fulmer, Rm. 35
Instructor:
Dr. Mary Wheeling
Office:
Arts & Sciences Suite, #6
Fulmer Center Annex
E-mail:
[email protected]
Office Hours:
MW 9:00-10:00, TR 10:00-12:00
Contact Hours:
42
______________________________________________________
Texts:
LaPlante, Alice. Method and Madness: The Making of a Story, NY: W.W. Norton, 2009.
Course Description:
The course provides a treatment of the elements of fiction, drama, [memoir,] and poetry from
the writer's point of view. Students work with the instructor and other students to analyze their
creative works. Imagination and personal experience are both employed as tools used during
the creative process of writing. With consultation from students, the instructor will determine
specific genres to emphasize. 3 credit hours.
Prerequisites:
ENG 175, ENG 176
Course Materials:
The texts listed above, as well as handouts and audio-visual materials presented in class and
provided on the courses Campus Web pages.
Learning Objectives/Goals:
Upon completion of Creative Writing, students should be able to
1. develop a portfolio of imaginative writing through techniques of drafting, revising,
workshopping, and public reading.
2. critique imaginative texts with a focus on craft.
3. analyze imaginative texts.
Topics Covered:
1. Fiction: critical analysis of published examples, practice of effective short story writing
and peer critique
2. Drama: critical analysis of published examples, practice of effective scene writing and
peer critique
3. Non-fiction narrative: critical analysis of published examples, practice of effective nonfiction writing and peer critique
4. Poetry: critical analysis of published examples, practice of effective poetry writing and
peer critique
ENG 256 GB: Creative Writing

Syllabus
2
Spring 2016, Session I
5. Writers techniques of drafting, revising, workshopping (including critical analysis of
peers work), reading, and preparing for publication
Course Format:
Creative Writing will be run in a workshop setting, in which students will write in and out of
class and share their work-in-progress for feedback from their peers and professor. We will also
use class time to revise our work and respond to in-class assignments. We will analyze and
discuss lauded works by published writers. Each student will present an oral report on a poet
(Adopt-a-Poet). Students should read the assigned readings by their due dates and stay up-todate with the assigned writing schedule.
In-Class Activities and Workshops (40% of final grade):
The class will complete regular in-class assignments including critical reading and
analysis as well as imaginative writing practice. Students will also critique peers worksin-progress.
Adopt-a-Poet (20% of final grade):
Students will give an oral presentation on an approved poet.
Portfolio (40% of final grade):
Students will keep a portfolio of works in progress representing the genres we will study
this term. Students will draft, revise, and workshop these pieces of creative writing,
improving them throughout the semester. The portfolio will be evaluated at various
points throughout the term and once more at the end of the semester. Portfolio points
accrue throughout the process as students fulfill scheduled requirements.
Teacher Conference:
One class meeting will be replaced with student-professor conferences to evaluate
student progress based on the contents of his or her portfolio to date. This conference
will count for one of the portfolio scores.
Policies:
Attendance
Creative Writing is a workshop-based course in which students rely on each other for
feedback regarding their writing. Therefore, absences create a hardship for both
students receiving and students giving critiques. Absences also prevent missing
students from learning about and practicing the elements of craft introduced that day.
For this reason, regular attendance is required.
Late arrivals and early departures are disrespectful to the rest of the class and will be
noted.
If you know in advance that you must miss a class this semester (for example, for
athletic events, a business trip, or a scheduled medical procedure), you must notify me
Last revised January 18, 2016

Syllabus
3
in writing the first week of school so that any affected workshops or presentations can
be appropriately scheduled.
Portfolio
Always keep all hard copies of materials returned to you from workshops and
conferences. These belong in your portfolio folder until the end of the semester when
your portfolio is evaluated. Consult the official portfolio assignment for complete
details. You should also save electronic copies of your work.
Missed Assignments
Missed workshops and in-class activities, including quizzes, cannot be made up.
Academic Honesty
All courses taught at Goldey-Beacom College are governed by the GBC Academic Honor
Code. A full description of the honor code and related procedures is available on the
web at http://www.gbc.edu/advisement/honorcode.html.
Remember that ignorance of academic integrity or the proper use of sources is no
excuse for violation. Any alleged academic dishonesty in this class will be addressed
according to official procedures, which include reporting the violation to the college.
It is the professors prerogative to determine the appropriate penalty for academic
offenses. Penalties for violations of the honor code in my class can range from a zero on
the work in question to an F for the entire course.
I require that all work submitted be produced originally for this course. Recycling your
old assignments or simultaneously submitting something for ENG 256 and another class
defeats the purpose of our classs unique learning process and gives you an unfair
academic advantage.
Semester Grade:
Grade Weights of Assignments
Assignment Type
Possible Pts. per Value of Type Percentage Weight

Assignment
of Final Grade
Portfolio (multi-step) 100 points poss. 100 pts. total 40%
In-Class Assignments
and Workshops
Adopt-a-Poet
10 pts. each
100 pts. total
40%
100 points poss.
100 pts. total
20%
100%
Grading
I follow GBCs undergraduate grading scale for issuing final letter grades
(http://www.gbc.edu/academic/policies-u.html):
A+
97-100
C+
77-79

Syllabus
4
A
AB+
B
B-
94-96
90-93
87-89
84-86
80-83
C
CD
F
74-76
70-73
65-69
64 and below
Getting Help:
You are encouraged to email or see me at office hours with any questions about your work, your
grade, or any other element of the course. If you have a physical, learning, or other disability
which might hinder your access to or performance in the class, please see me as soon as
possible so we can arrange appropriate accommodations.
Academic Honor Code: http://www.gbc.edu/advisement/honorcode.html.

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Syllabus

ENG 256 GB: Creative Writing

Last revised January 18, 2016

ENG 256 GB: Creative Writing

Possible Pts. per Value of Type Percentage Weight

100 pts. total

100 points poss.

100 pts. total

ENG 256 GB: Creative Writing

Last revised January 18, 2016

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