12 KERRY HOWLEY – INTRO TO CNF – Fall 2010

Introduction to Creative Nonfiction

Instructor: Kerry Howley

Fall 2010

3:30-4:45 T&Th

This course is an introduction to reading and writing essays, broadly construed. As a reader you will encounter journalistic essays, lyric essays, critical essays, memoiristic essays, and observational essays, among other forms, and as a writer you will be given room to experiment with each form as we study it. We will discuss characterization, structure, scene, voice, summary, pacing, lyricism, point of view, metaphor, and so on in some canonical and not-so-canonical essays. We will also discuss all of these as they relate to your essays, as a class, in workshop. You will be required to discuss each essay you read, complete nine writing exercises intended to goad you into some formal risk-taking, and complete two longer essays, one of which will be revised. This course does not require that you have much experience writing creatively, or that you aspire toward writing as a vocation. It does require that you break with formulas learned in grade school. We will write no 5-paragraph essays. No essay will begin with the clause: “From the dawn of time.” No conclusion will begin: “in conclusion.”

Required Materials

Next American Essay, ed. by John D’Agata (available at Prairie Lights, 15 S. Dubuque)

A notebook to be brought to each class

A portfolio in which you will save all of your work, to be handed in at the end of the semester

Readings

All readings not in Next American Essay will be posted on ICON. You are required to print them and bring them to class. Failure to do so will affect your participation grade.

Attendance

I will allow three unexcused absences per semester. If you anticipate an absence or become ill, please email me 24 hours in advance. Even if you are sick, you will be required to submit written work on time (either to my office or my email address) unless you have made other arrangements with me.

Workload

For each semester hour of credit that an English Department course carries, students should expect to spend approximately two hours per week preparing for the course outside of class.  You can expect to be working for six hours each week outside of this class.

Grading

Class Participation: 30%

Short essays: 10%

Essays 1 & 2: 30%

Final (revised) essay: 30%

An A may be earned by consistently doing work that shows sophisticated critical thought and creativity with a level of effort that reaches far beyond the minimum requirements in written assignments and course participation.

A B may be earned by consistently doing work that shows critical thought with effort that exceeds the minimum requirements.

A C may be earned by adequately meeting the minimum requirements of the course without exceeding them.

A D may be earned by doing work that does not meet the minimum requirements and shows a lack of critical thought with a level of effort that is inadequate.

An F may be earned by consistently doing work that makes no attempt to satisfy the minimum requirements of the course.

Short Essays

Writing exercises are an opportunity to experiment with different forms you might employ in a full-length essay. Of the twelve assigned, you must complete nine.

Any of these might be expanded into your longer essay, though you aren’t required to select from them.

Major Essays for Workshop

You will write two major essays (roughly 5 pages, double spaced, 12-point font) over the course of the semester, both of which will be read and discussed by your peers. Although the semester schedule is subject to change, the rough dates on which these essays will be due are as follows: September 21 and October 26.

Reader Responses

During the fifth week of class we will begin discussing student essays in an informal workshop. You will read three essays and respond to one. Your response should focus tightly on one or two aspects of the essay.

Final Portfolio Contents:

1) Three of nine exercises, judged by you to be your best work.

2) Two major essays, one in heavily revised form, along with the original draft.

In grading your portfolio, I will consider the strength of your revisions, improvement over the course of the semester, and overall investment in the included pieces.

Schedule (subject to change)

Administrative Home
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the administrative home of this course and governs matters such as the add/drop deadlines, the second-grade-only option, and other related issues. Different colleges may have different policies. Questions may be addressed to 120 Schaeffer Hall, or see the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

Electronic Communication
University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to their University of Iowa e-mail address (@uiowa.edu). Faculty and students should use this account for correspondences. (Operations Manual, III.15.2. Scroll down to k.11.)

Accommodations for Disabilities

A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability Services and then meet privately with the course instructor to make particular arrangements. See www.uiowa.edu/~sds/ for more information.

Academic Fraud
Plagiarism and any other activities when students present work that is not their own are academic fraud. Academic fraud is a serious matter and is reported to the departmental DEO and to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum. Instructors and DEOs decide on appropriate consequences at the departmental level while the Associate Dean enforces additional consequences at the collegiate level. See the CLAS Academic Fraud section of the Student Academic Handbook.

CLAS Final Examination Policies

Final exams may be offered only during finals week. No exams of any kind are allowed during the last week of classes. Students should not ask their instructor to reschedule a final exam since the College does not permit rescheduling of a final exam once the semester has begun. Questions should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum.

Making a Suggestion or a Complaint
Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit the instructor, then the course supervisor, and then the departmental DEO. Complaints must be made within six months of the incident. See the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

Understanding Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community have a responsibility to uphold this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full University policy.

Reacting Safely to Severe Weather
In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the classroom if necessary. The class will continue if possible when the event is over. For more information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Public Safety web site.