ENG 210: Introduction to Creative Writing, Poetry Policies

Instructor: Patricia Murphy

Course Description : ENG 210, ENG 310, and ENG 411 are a series of Writing Workshops that provide a solid foundation in a single genre: either poetry or fiction. ENG 210 offers an introduction to terms and literary techniques. ENG 310 adds to that foundation, providing an opportunity to practice the craft of writing. ENG 411 builds on that mastery of the craft and allows students to explore individual voice. The ENG 210, 310, 411 sequence must be taken in order for each genre: poetry and fiction.

Course Learning Goals : This is an Introductory level writing course that will help you become familiar with major concepts of poetry such as titling, speaker, characters, setting, theme, tone, structure, imagery, figurative language, and musical devices. We will study those concepts to help us respond to and interpret writing. This semester you will write 10 new poems. Then you will revise 5 of those poems and reflect on your writing process in a final portfolio due at the end of the course.

We will read work by poets such as Pamela Alexander, Tom Andrews, John Ashbery, Jennifer Atkinson, Angela Ball, Gerald Barrax, Robin Becker, Erin Belieu, Brice Bennett, Elizabeth Bishop. Robert Bly, Michelle Boisseau, Marianne Boruch, Brock Geoffrey, Fleda Brown, Travis Brown, Sharon Bryan, Christopher Buckley, Andrea Hollander Budy, Micheal Burns, Rafael Campo, Jared Carter, Nina Cassian, Kelly Cherry, Ye Chun, David Citina, Amy Clampitt, Patricia Clark, Billy Collins, Martha Collins, JV Cunningham, Jim Daniels, Emily Dickinson, Mark Doty, Rita Dove, Stephen Dunn, Cornelius Eady, Russell Edson, Nancy Eimers, Paul Eluard, Lynn Emanuel, Marin Espada, Clarissa Estes, David Fantauzzi, Robert Francis, Alice Friman, Carol Frost, Amy Gerstler, Lucia Cordell Getsi, Margaret Gibson, Dana Gioia, Michele Glazer, Kate Gleason, Louise Gluck, William Greenway, RS Gwynn, Donald Hall, Micheal S. Harper, Jeffrey Harrison, Robert Hayden, Anthony Hecht, Michael Heffernan, Edward Hirsch, Elizabeth Holmes, Garrett Hongo, Andrew Hudgins, Mark Irwon, Richard Jackson, Mark Jarman, Hettie Jones, Allison Joseph, Donald Justice, Ashley Kaine, Shirley Kaufman, Sarah Kennedy, Roger Kirschbaum, Carolyn Kizer, Carrie Klok, Etheridge Knight, Yusef Komunyakaa, Elizabeth Kostova, Deborah Kroman, Maxine Kumin, Phili Larkin, Richard Lattimore, Li-Young Lee, Philip Levine, Richard Lyons, Cyhtia MacDonald, Randall Mann, William Matthews, Colleen McElroy, Heather McHugh, Bob McKenty, Josephine Miles, Czeslaw Milosz, Judson Mitcham, Marilyn Nelson, Michael Nelson, Howard Nemerov, Linda Newton, Lorine Niedecker, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mary Oliver, William Olsen, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Alicia Ostriker, Eric Pankey, Greg Pape, Molly Peacock, Carl Phillips, Robert Pinsky, Sylvia Plath, Stanley Plumly, Claudia Rankine, Lizette Reese, Trish Reeves, Theodore Roethke, Pattiann Rogers, Liz Rosenberg, Muriel Rukeyser, Kay Ryan, Natasha Saje, Enid Shomer, Louis Simpson, Arthur Smith, RT Smith, Cathy Song, Elizabeth Spires, William Stafford, Maura Stanton, Timothy Steele, Luci Tapahonso, James Tate, Henry Taylor, Marta Tomes, Janine Tran, William Towbridge, Chase Twichell, John Updike, Cloria Vando, Ellen Bryant Voigt, Sidney Wade, Robert Wallace, Michael Waters, Charles Harper Webb, Susan Whitmore, Dara Wier, Richard Wilbur, Miller Williams, William Carlos Williams, Christian Wiman, Susan Wood, Baron Wormser, CD Wright, Charles Wright, Al Young, and Gary Young.

Writing Workshops : I've been there. Back in the early 1990's when I was an undergraduate creative writing major, I was guilty of going into The Writing Workshop with a poem or story or essay I thought would blow everyone away. Once, in my sophomore year of college, I wrote a poem about buying a camera from an architect. I wrote the poem at around midnight in an inspired fit, and I made copies on the way to class, feeling certain that my peers and professor would receive the poem with joy and awe. Well, let's just say I left that workshop in tears. The poem was not clear. The poem was rushed. The poem did not make sense. Whereas I naively felt my poem was finished, the other Workshop members could easily see its flaws. Months later, when I was able to calm my emotions, I took the Workshop comments to heart. I revised the poem almost beyond recognition, and “To Meet an Architect” was published in a national literary magazine.

I am certainly not alone. Many students assume at first that the Workshop is an instant audience for completed work and that they will receive only applause and praise for their writing. That incident helped me learn that the Writing Workshop is not an audience, it is a tool. I learned to see the Workshop as a resource to help me reach my goals, not as a captive group who would immediately stand and applaud my efforts.

This course is a workshop where students turn in writing and receive constructive criticism from other students and the professor. Students then use that feedback to revise their work for a portfolio. The true purpose of The Writing Workshop is to gather with a community of writers to receive input on your work so that you may revise it and polish it for an audience. Therefore, do not submit work that you do not wish to revise or that you already feel is completed and you don't want to change. Instead, bring in the work you would like to discuss and improve. By doing so, you will benefit greatly from this community of friendly, interested writers.

The Writing Workshop exists to give you feedback. You must enter the Workshop willing to listen to the advice, praise, criticism, and the suggestions of the other writers. It is a true privilege to have a group of people who are willing to give you such feedback. Many writers pay thousands of dollars for such a service. So please respect and enjoy this Writer's Workshop, and take as much as you can from each of the careful readers who will respond to your work.

Required Text : Our text can be found at all three campus bookstores: West, Tempe, and Poly. Here are the following customer service numbers: Tempe campus: 480-965-3191, West campus: 602-543-6800, Poly campus: 480-727-1168. If you are unable to locate books at the closest campus, you should contact one of the other bookstores and have them transferred to your location. You can also order the book online.

Boisseau, Michelle, Robert Wallace, and Randall Mann. Writing Poems. 7th ed. Pearson: New York, 2008. ISBN 978-0-321-47406-3

Required Work : This course requires you to not only practice your writing, but also to practice your reading and revising as well.

Reading - Worth 20% of your grade. For 10 weeks you will be assigned a chapter or two of reading. You will compose a response to the reading and post it in the Reading Discussion Board. In order to receive credit your response must:

• meet the word-length requirement of 400-500 words (or surpass it)
• use short quotes to support your response
• provide analysis (using literary terms) rather than summary (retelling)

Reading Responses are graded out of 10 total posts.

10	100%	A
9	90%	A
8	80%	B
7	70%	C
6	60%	D
5	50%	E

Writing - Worth 10% of your grade. It is very important to turn your writing in on time so that peers have time to respond. A Writing Deadline of Thursday night gives peers three full days to post thoughtful responses by Sunday night.

Writing is graded out of 10 total posts.

10	100%	A
9	90%	A
8	80%	B
7	70%	C
6	60%	D
5	50%	E

Workshop - Worth 30% of your grade. Unlike face to face workshop classes where students bring in work each week but only get feedback a few times a semester, this online section allows us to get feedback for every piece every time. To accomplish this we use a Group Workshop method. Twice during the semester you will be assigned to a group of students. You will reply to those students for 5 poems. In order to receive credit your response must:

• meet the word-length requirement of 400-500 words per poem (or surpass it)
• use short quotes to support your response
• provide analysis (using literary terms) rather than summary (retelling)
• offer suggestions for revision

Portfolio - Worth 40% of your grade. Revision is an imperative step for even the most experienced and skilled writers. Revision is especially important for student writers, since successful revisions show mastery of literary terms and techniques. For the Portfolio you will revise work you have turned in throughout the semester. Grades for the Portfolio are based on the quality of your revisions and your ability to describe why you made the changes you did based on literary skills (see the full Portfolio assignment in the "Portfolio" area).

Office Hours: Since this is an online course, I will not hold face to face office hours, but I am available by appointment. I check email once a day, Monday through Friday. I will answer questions through email usually within 48 hours except over weekends and on holidays. I am also happy to call you if you have a question. Simply email me your phone number and an appropriate time to call.

Required Software : We will exchange our online comments using the Reviewing Features in Word. Therefore all students must have access to a computer with Microsoft Word 2003. To download a 60-day trial version of the software access the Microsoft Website. Or use any of the campus computers, which are equipped with this software. You will not pass this course if you cannot get access to Word.

Attendance : This class meets online using myASU. The class asks you to complete the same work as other sections, but it has the added benefit of teaching you to communicate electronically with your teacher and classmates.  This is an integral part of your grade.  This course is not self-paced. There are set due dates. Work submitted after the due dates will not receive credit. Each missed assignment will result in an absence, and each absence will negatively affect your grade. If you miss more than 4 class assignments you will automatically fail the course. THERE ARE NO EXCUSED ABSENCES, even for emergencies or school activities. You have 4 absences to use for emergencies.

Important Dates:

August 25-29: Late Registration and Drop/Add (in person)

August 25-31: Late Registration and Drop/Add (online)

September 22-29: Academic Status Report #1

October 22-29: Academic Status Report #2

October 31: Course Withdrawal Deadline (in person)

November 2: Course Withdrawal Deadline (online)

December 9: Complete Withdrawal Deadline (online and in person)

Point your browser to http://www.asu.edu/calendar/academic.html for additional dates.

Protecting Work: While there are many benefits that come with using technology to conduct the course, there can also be drawbacks such as system outages, hardware and software failures, and inexperience with systems. Technology failures are NOT an excuse for late or missing work. I do not expect you to be an expert with technology, but I do expect you to observe some common sense practices. I also recommend that if you are new to online courses or if you are unfamiliar with the software I suggest you view the online tutorials available through asuonline. Here are some other tips:

•  Never type directly into myASU. Type in Word and then cut and paste your work.

•  My degree is in English, not Computers, so there are many technical questions I am too dumb to answer. If you get stuck with a technical issue, call the computer help desk at 480-965-6500.

Late Work : Other students depend on you to post your work on time, and we often cannot proceed until all the work is complete. For that reason, the policies on late work are very strict. Late work will not receive credit unless you email me in advance of the deadline. If you miss a deadline, contact me and I will help you.

Plagiarism : To plagiarize is to present as your own any work that is not exclusively your own. Plagiarism of all or a portion of any assignment will be strictly penalized. Penalties can range from no credit for the assignment to failing the course. Repeated offenses can lead to your expulsion from the university.

Online Environment : You will need to pay attention to a few details in order for your work to be counted. For example, when you post your work online, you have to ensure that it shows up and we can access it or else you won't get credit. Get in the habit of checking your work to make sure it shows up as you intended. Also, be aware of how the things you're posting in online discussions come across--it's easy for something you meant humorously to be taken seriously in an online environment, so be careful. Above all, be kind towards and respectful of your fellow students. Any material that is viewed as obscene or profane will be removed from the board and you will not receive credit. Consider the class to be an academic audience.

The Public Nature of Writing and Confidentiality Issues : Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a community of writers. Remember that this is a workshop, and you will be getting feedback from others. Avoid writing about things you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or that you feel so strongly about that you are unable or unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This class is about discussing the writing, not the subject of the writing.

I have had several problems in the past with students posting obscene work. Please be sensitive to the needs of your peers, and treat our classroom with respect by refraining from posting explicit matierial.

Incomplete Grades : I do not offer incomplete grades.

Academic Integrity : All students are expected to abide by ASU's policy on academic integrity. Not doing so could result in failure in the course.

Accommodations for Disabilities : ADA Statement The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal antidiscrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. One element of this legislation requires that all qualified students with documented disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation please contact the Disability Resource Center at ASU Polytechnic located in Student Affairs Quad # 4 or call 480-727-1039 / TTY: 480-727-1009.  Eligibility and documentation policies online: http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/

Grades: I use the Gradebook function in myASU. Each week you will get a score for reading and workshop grades based on a point system. To determine your final grade for the course, multiply each of your Required Work grades by its weighted percentage. The sum of these numbers equals your final grade. Final grades are available after the end of the semester at the Registrar's online site.

Email Procedures: I cannot accept emails from non-ASU accounts. The best way for you to get around this is to get used to using your ASU email account. This is preferable for many reasons, including that your email address will be in the global address system so that anyone at ASU can reach you easily. However, if you still want to use an outside email, simply set up your ASU email to forward to your outside account. You can also use the "Email" button on our website to email me. Here are some other general rules about email: