GRAMMAR & READING:
Blue Book of Grammar

Daily Grammar

New York Times

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SEEK Section 01 - Room 239T 

Click to e-mail Professor Winson Exam Preparation Steps
Essay Organization
Reading Journal Directions
Weekly Essays & Articles

Goal of the Course:

This course is designed to give the students the writing skills, as well as knowledge of grammar and essay form required so to be able to pass the John Jay College English Departmental writing exam. The Critical Inquiry method will be used throughout to enable students to read comprehensively and analytically and to write thoughtful well-organized, grammatically-correct essays

Text & Materials: 

  • Coy, Penelope, et al. Basic Grammar and Usage. 5th ed.. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publisher, 1998.
  • A collegiate dictionary
  • Various articles from The New York Times
  • A black and white composition book (for Reading Journal and grammar exercise records).
To be eligible to take the English Dept. Writing test you must:
  1. Attend all classes -- only two absences will be allowed without excuses.
  2. Attend at least twelve tutoring sessions (it doesn't hurt to attend more).
  3. Complete weekly typed essays--250-300 words (over the weekends).
  4. Read all articles, essays, and books assigned.
  5. Complete all the Reading Journal writing entries--one per week.
  6. Complete a 300-400 word essay on the group book.
Writing and Reading Work:
  1. Quizzes—Throughout this short semester you will be given brief quizzes to check your own progress in gaining the appropriate grammar and sentence writing skills.
  2. Practice exam writing—You will be given practice Departmental writing tests. These essays will be returned with double entry corrections to be made as will be instructed.
  3. Reading short essays & NYT articles—We will read a variety of articles obtainable from this site. Reading journal entries will be written for every reading item.These articles will be used to help us write weekend essays.
  4. Week-end Assignments—Write 250-300 word typed essays based on the articles read during the week and an interpretive question that came out of the journal writing.
  5. Share a sample sentences from any the article or student essays to be analyzed grammatically in class.
  6. Read aloud articles in class and at home. In fact, you should read aloud whenever and wherever you can.
General Class Schedule:
  • Grammar 
  • Paragraph and Essay form
  • Reading articles, learning to comprehend and analyze the articles, and preparing to write
Essay Writing Skills to be mastered:
  • Finding Key Words and Ideas in the readings.
  • Asking relevant Questions.
  • Writing a Summaries..
  • Brainstorming techniques.
  • Writing a Preliminary Thesis Statement and Final Thesis Statements
  • Determining Reasons to support a thesis.
  • Writing an introduction and conclusion for a 300-400 word essay.

Please sign the following statement before beginning the class:

I will commit myself this semester to mastering the necessary skills needed to pass the English Departmental Writing Exam and to becoming a better writer. I realize that I will have to work everyday and concentrate if I am to reach my goal. Furthermore, I promise to read aloud as much as I can from the New York Times or a newspaper of my choice or a book that I enjoy.

Signature _____________________________________________________________