INTER AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO

VICE PRESIDENCY FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS

ENGLISH PROGRAM

CROSS-GENRE WRITING

ENGLISH 3500
COURSE SYLLABUS

I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Course Title Cross-Genre Writing
Course Code and ENGL 3500
Number
Credits Three
Academic Term 2019
Instructor Prof. Patrick Lopez
Office Location Phraner Hall
and Hours
Monday 10:30-11:30AM
Office Phone 000-000-0000
Number
E-mail plop7370@intersg.edu

II. DESCRIPTION
Analysis and deconstruction of traditional genres (essays, poetry, drama, and fiction)
and the establishment of literary theory that challenge and redefine those forms.
Includes participation on Web forums and the study of cross-genre works through
intensive writing and revision.

3 credits

III. OBJECTIVES
It is expected that upon completing the course, the student should be able to:
1. Use information technologies to develop digital information fluency.
2. Read traditional texts to interpret meaning, define genre criteria, and generate critical
thinking through the reviewing process.
3. Write essays in various rhetorical modes and platforms.
4. Research the origin of written works through the identification of allusion and revision.

IV. CONTENT

A. Writing
 1. Pre-writing strategies
A. Choosing a topic
B. Narrowing the topic
C. Determining purpose, audience and tone
2. Outlining
3. Drafting
4. Revising and proofreading
5. Use appropriate mechanics, punctuation, and grammar
6. Argument
A. Claim
B. Warrant
C. Impact
7. Essay Writing
. A. Essay structure
a. Introductory paragraph and thesis statement
b. Supporting body paragraphs
c. Concluding paragraph
B. Essay organization
a. Unity
b. Coherence
c. Clarity
d. Purpose

B. Reading

1. Reading comprehension
2. Critical Reading
3. Identify main ideas and details
4. Read for supporting details
5. Paraphrase main ideas
6. Support interpretations with textual evidence
7. Make inferences and draw conclusions
8. Identify contrasting arguments
9. Identify organizational patterns

C. Oral

1. Group interaction and class discussion of written texts and digital media.
2. Discussion of ideas using personal, literal, and evaluative stances.
3. Use of appropriate technology to effectively present oral information.

A. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

A. Writing Activities

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 1. Brainstorming/ Freewriting
2. Summaries
3. Writing prompts
4. Reviewing
5. Outlines
6. Story Boards
7. Response Journals
8. Dialectical notebook entries
9. Research
10. Consulting resources
11. Drafting
12. Academic essays
13. Online Writing

B. Reading Activities
1. Individual and collaborative readings
2. Prereading activities
3. Priming
4. Reader/response journal
5. Aloud reading

C. Oral activities
1. Use of digital media/technology
a. Videos
b. Internet resources
2. Group discussions
3. Oral presentations
4. Aloud reading
5. Debates

B. EVALUATION

Criteria Points % of
Final
Grade
Midterm Exam (Traditional Genres and Literary Theory) 100 15%
Online Component (Blog, Journal, Reviews) 100 25%
Classroom Work (Prompts and Critiques) 100 20%
Final Essay 100 20%
Final Presentation 100 20%
Totals 500 100%

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C. SPECIAL NOTES
A. Auxiliary services or special needs
Any student who requires auxiliary services or special assistance should request it
when courses begin or as soon as the student becomes aware that the services are
needed at the Guidance Counseling Office with Ms. Petra Martinez coordinator of
services for students with special needs or by phone at 787 264-1912 Ext.7293 or 7294
or via e-mail petmar@intersg.edu .

B. Honesty, fraud and plagiarism

Dishonesty, fraud or plagiarism committed by a student constitutes a major violation of
the General Student Regulations and can result in sanctions ranging from a written
reprimand to suspension for a predetermined period of a year or more or permanent
expulsion from the university, among other sanctions.

C. Use of electronic devices

Cellular telephones and any other electronic device that could interrupt the teaching-
learning process or disrupt a milieu favorable for academic excellence will be
deactivated. Critical situations will be dealt with in an appropriate manner. The use of
electronic devices that permit the accessing, storing or sending of data during tests or
examinations is prohibited.

D. Compliance with the Provisions of Title IX

The Federal Higher Education Act, as amended, prohibits discrimination because of
sex in any academic, educational, extracurricular, and athletic activity or in any other
program or function, sponsored or controlled by a higher education institution,
whether or not it is conducted within or outside the property of the institution, if the
institution receives federal funds.

In harmony with the current federal regulation, in our academic unit an Assistant
Coordinator of Title IX has been designated to offer assistance and orientation in
relation to any alleged incident constituting discrimination because of sex or gender,
sexual harassment or sexual aggression. The Assistant Coordinator Ms. Maria S.
Torres can be reached by phone at 787-264-1912 extension 7216, or via e-mail
mstorres@intersg.edu

The Normative Document titled Norms and Procedures to Deal with Alleged
Violations of the Provisions of Title IX is the document that contains the
institutional rules to direct any complaint that appears to be this type of allegation.
This document is available in the Web site of Inter American University of Puerto
Rico (www.inter.edu)

D. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

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 A. Audiovisual Resources
1. Power Point Presentations prepared by the professor
2. Films on Demand: Digital Educational Videos (Virtual Library)
3. YouTube Videos
4. TED Talk

E. BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Books

Barthes, R. (1987). Image Music Text. London: Fontana Press.

Brown, S. A. (2012). A Familiar Compound Ghost: Allusion and the Uncanny. England: Manchester
University Press.

Davis, L. (2014). The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis. London: Penguin.

Evans, I. (1990). A Short History of English Literature (4th ed.). London: Penguin.

Lamott, A. (1995). Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor. (Available in
CAI)

King, S. (2001). On writing: a memoir of the craft. New York: Pocket Books, 2001, c2000. (Available in
CAI)

Wallace, D. F. (2007). Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays. New York: Abacus.

Zinsser, W. (2006). On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Non-Fiction. New York: Harper
Collins. (Available in CAI)

B. Electronic Resources

Developing your thesis. (2015). Retrieved from Dartmouth College website: https://writing-
speech.dartmouth.edu/learning/materials/materials-first-year-writers/developing-your-thesis

Dictionary.com. (2016). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/

Guilford, C. (2015). Paradigm online writing lab. Retrieved from http://www.powa.org/

Livingston, K. (2012). Guide to writing a basic essay. Retrieved from

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 http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/links.html

Guilford, C. (2015). Paradigm online writing lab. Retrieved from http://www.powa.org/

Steven D. Krause’s “The process of research writing- Academic research writing: What is it?”. (2015).
Retrieved from Bowling Green State University Writing Lab:
https://learn.saylor.org/mod/page/view.php?id=7304

The Purdue online writing lab. (2016). Retrieved from https://owl .english .purdue.edu/

Revised:
IAUPR, San German Campus

Tentative Schedule

Week
Introduction to the course and discussion of syllabus, Pretest (Writing) 1

Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Forms and Genres

• Lecture: Introduction to Written Forms (Fiction, Short Story, Novel, Poetry, Essay)
• Reading: The Mouse’s Tale
• Additional Reading or Lecture Notes: A Short History of English Literature by Ifor
Evans 2
• Online-Resources: What makes a poem … a poem? - Melissa Kovacs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwhouCNq-Fc&t=28s
• Topic-Specific Information
• Writing: Starting the writing process
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/587/01/
Unit 2: Literary Theory and Narrative
• Lecture: Text Potential and Narrative
• Reading/Transcript: Family Supper by Kazuo Ishiguro; The Collected Stories of Lydia
Davis
• Online Journal Entry #1: Deeper Meaning: Impressions of Kazuo Ishiguro in Family 3
Supper
• Online Resources: How fiction can change reality by Jessica Wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctaPAm14L10
• Writing: Writing strategies
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

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Mid Term: Written Forms and Text Potential
Unit 3: Argumentation and Review (Essays and Articles)
• Lecture: Claim, Warrant, and Impact
• Reading/Transcript: Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
• Online Journal Entry #2: What about the Lobsters? Analysis of David Foster Wallace’s
work 4
• Online Resources: Mining literature for deeper meanings - Amy E. Harter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREopphW5Bw
• Writing: The writing process and drafting
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/index.html
Student’s choice work of fiction
Unit 5: Revision (Revising Traditional Works and Creating Fiction)
• Lecture: Creation by influence
• Reading/Transcript: Stephen King On Writing
• Activity: Writing a short story 5
• Online Journal Entry #3: What influences your writing?
• Writing: Narrative and descriptive essays
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html
Unit 4: Intertextuality (Comparative Literature)
• Lecture: Allusion. Is anything really original?
• Reading/Transcript: Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author
• Additional Reading and Lecture Notes: A Familiar Compound Ghost
Allusion and the Uncanny by Sarah Annes Brown 6
• Online Journal Entry #4: Possible allusions in your chosen work.
• Writing: Essay writing
On Writing by Stephen King
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html
Unit 6: Role of the Reader and Writer (Reader Reaction and Writing Purpose)
• Lecture: The Author and its Audience
• Reading/Transcript: Michel Foucault’s What is an Author?
• Online Journal Entry #5: What is your relationship to your writing? 7
• Writing: Expository and argumentative essay
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html
Project presentations: Analysis, Form, Allusion, and Revisions 8

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Final Essay regarding student’s choice
LAST DAY TO DROP THE CLASS: LAST CLASS DAY

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I authorize the Department of Languages and Literature of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico,
San German Campus, to use in the syllabus for a proposed course, in whole or in part, the material I have
written for this ENGL 6970 Seminar Activity Juan del Pueblo (your name).