University Writing and Critical Reading:
Nature and the Environment
Course Syllabus
Course Weblogs
evincement
Discussion Question Schedule
On Our Theme:
ENGC 1013 is a composition course with an
emphasis on nature and the environment. In this course, we will read a variety
of works of literature (essays, fiction, poetry, etc.) which touch on
perceptions of and arguments about nature and the environment. We will begin by
considering why, and in what ways, the natural
world is a social concern.
We will explore the relationship between nature and society, as well as the
relationship between nature and the self. We will consider the kinds of
relationships humans have with nature, and what impact rethinking our
relationship to nature might have on our thoughts concerning society and the
self. Though we will spend some time discussing issues such as conservation,
sustainability, natural resources, global warming, and other current
environmental topics, this course focuses primarily on the philosophical
implications of the intersection of nature and culture, and on how we think of
and through nature. One significant goal of this course is to “denaturalize”
our thinking about nature; to that end, much of our reading takes us behind the
contemporary debates over nature and the environment. Our approach does not
argue against the discussion of important contemporary issues; rather, it
argues for a particular frame for our discussion.
Writing Assignments:
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
Paper #4
Research Proposal
Self Evaluation Revision Memo
Required Reading:
In addition to the material in the course packet and
the essays available through WebCT, the following selections are also
required:
Suggested Reading:
You may want to take a look at this collection of Web Links on Nature Writing. The following links might prove particularly useful:
Course Resources:
The following links may prove useful in furthering your understanding of the course readings:
Literary Links:
Environmental Sites:
Composition and Writing Resources:
The
websites linked to below provide useful tools for fine-tuning your
reading and writing. We'll be referring to many of these sites in
class, but please feel free to visit them on your own as well.
Close Reading:
Critical Thinking:
Audience:
Discourse Communities:
Ethos/Pathos/Logos:
Arguments and Claims:
Introductions, Conclusions,
Paragraph Development:
Topic Sentences:
Organization:
Sentence Structure and Transitions:
Integration of Cited Material
Intertextuality:
Quotation Analysis:
Quotation Format:
Paper Topics:
Punctuation: