PFP Wharton -- Writing about Management

Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
222 Bennett Hall

Instructor: Erika Lin
Email: elin@english.upenn.edu
Office: 4th floor Bennett Hall, cubicle A5
Office Hours: by appointment
Mailbox: 4th floor Bennett Hall, near cubicle A1
Course home page: http://www.english.upenn.edu/~elin/pfp98.html

Last updated: 8/24/98

Course Description

This course will explore management issues in various American business environments from the 1950s to the present. We will discuss the relationship between individuals and institutions in which they take part, and we will also discuss how the media via which we communicate affects the "content" of the communication itself. Furthermore, we'll be looking at writing as a process, and we'll be focusing primarily on the early stages of the writing process. To that end, although we'll be doing some revision and peer review of the several short papers which you'll produce for this class, our main focus will be on how to develop a thesis and plan the beginning stages of any writing assignment which you come across in your future. I hope that by the end of this course you'll have a better understanding of what writing entails and be well-prepared to examine those aspects in depth in your upcoming freshman writing course.

Texts

You should already have the bulkpack, and I'll be handing out Strunk and White's Elements of Style.

Films

We'll be watching three films: "Executive Suite," "Working Girl," and "Do the Right Thing." Film screenings will be held on Monday, Aug. 3 at 2 PM, Sunday, Aug. 9 at 6 PM, and Monday, Aug. 17 at 2 PM in Room 206, High Rise East.

Resources

Jerry Denno, PFP Writing Advisor: Jerry will be holding walk-in hours (Sunday 8-10 PM, 2nd Floor Lounge, HR South; Tuesday, 7-9 PM, 2nd Floor Lounge, HR South; Wednesday, 1-3 PM, 2nd Floor Lounge, HR South), and he is also available for appointments. Email him at jdenno@english.upenn.edu for more information.

The Writing Center (http://www.english.upenn.edu/Writing/WATU/center.html): all kinds of writing help and advice provided by grad students from various departments, located on the 4th floor of Bennett Hall. Make an appointment by calling 898-8525.

Peer Writing Advisors (http://www.english.upenn.edu/Writing/WATU/advisors.html): peer advising online at writeme@english.upenn.edu or in-person at the Writers House, Hill House, and McClelland Hall.

Jack Lynch's Grammar and Style Guide (http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jlynch/Grammar): fast, online advice about style (grammar and mechanics) from former Penn English grad student Jack Lynch.

Writers House (http://www.english.upenn.edu/~wh): hosts many fun events for readers and writers. For more info, check out their website or call 573-WRIT.

Writing Program Home Page (http://www.english.upenn.edu/Writing): general guide to writing resources at Penn.

Tutoring and Learning Resources: Help with all kinds of study skills from time management to reading a lot very quickly. Call 57-EXCEL (573-9235) for an appointment, email them at learning@dolphin.upenn.edu, or drop by during walk-in hours from 12-3 PM daily, Suite 110, High Rise East (3820 Locust Walk).

Schedule

M 8/3

Film Screening: "Executive Suite" (2 PM, Rm. 206, HRE)

Tu 8/4

Introduction to the writing process and discussion of "Executive Suite"
No assignments due

Th 8/6

Discussion of articles and introduction to thesis; Library Tour
Reading Assignments due: "What Do You Mean You Don't Like My Style?" and "Case of the Deadlocked Directors"
Writing Assignments due: Freewriting # 1 and Essay #1

Su 8/9

Film Screening: "Working Girl" (6 PM, Rm. 206, HRE)

Tu 8/11

Discussion of "Working Girl", continue working on thesis, and begin discussion of peer review
Reading Assignments due: None
Writing Assignments due: Freewriting #2 and Essay #2

Th 8/13

Thesis workshop and discussion of article
Bring peer review copies of papers for thesis workshop
Reading Assignments due: "The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk"
Writing Assignments due: Freewriting #3 and Essay #3

M 8/17

Film Screening: "Do the Right Thing" (2 PM, Rm. 206, HRE)

Tu 8/18

Discussion of "Do the Right Thing" and peer review workshop
Reading Assignments due: None
Writing Assignments due: Freewriting #4, Essay #4 (draft 1), and Peer Review

Th 8/20

Discussion of short stories and continuation of discussion of writing process
Reading Assignments due: "A Loaf of Bread" and "Steal Away"
Writing Assignments due: Essay #4 (draft 2)

Tu 8/25

"Encountering the City" Tour of Philly
Reading Assignments due: None
Writing Assignments due: None

Th 8/27

Discussion of tour and final wrap-up
Reading Assignments due: None
Writing Assignments due: Optional revisions of Essays #2 & #4

Assignments

(This section will be updated on the web version of this syllabus as the course progresses.)
Freewriting #1
Do a 20-min. freewriting in preparation for Essay #1
Essay #1
You are serving as a hired consultant to Myerson Industries, and you need to hand over a 2-page report which fulfills the following criteria: (1) summarize the problem; (2) analyze the different options provided by the board members; (3) offer a recommendation on how the company should proceed.
Freewriting #2
Do a 20-min. freewriting in preparation for Essay #2
Essay #2
"Working Girl" essay: 2-page paper (see questions on handout)
Freewriting #3
Do a 20-min. freewriting in preparation for Essay #3
Essay #3
Write a 1-page letter from Tess McGill in "Working Girl" to (1) Cyn, (2) Katherine Parker, or (3) Oren Trask detailing her grievances about gender in the workplace. Then rewrite the same letter but to a different recipient out of the three choices above.
Freewriting #4
Do a 20-min. freewriting in preparation for Essay #4
Essay #4
"Do The Right Thing" essay: 2-page paper (see questions on handout)

Requirements

Class Preparation

Before you come to class each day, you'll need to read the assigned texts (or view the assigned film) at least once and be prepared to discuss them in class. You'll also need to complete any writing assignments due that day prior to the beginning of the class period and bring them to class with you.

Class Participation

In this class I hope that you will learn as much from one another as you will from me. To that end, active class participation is a must. How can you participate? By asking questions, by sharing your thoughts, by listening carefully to others in the cl ass, and by responding thoughtfully to the ideas they present. I want this place to be a safe space where you can try out new ideas and where we can all experiment and take risks in our thinking. If you find it difficult to speak up in large groups, you might try jotting down your questions and ideas as your read and then referring to them in class.

Writing Assignments

Every day I'll ask you to do some kind of short writing assignment. I'll expect these to be turned into me at the beginning of the class period in which they are due. Writing assignments should be typed, double-spaced and proofread before you turn them in. Some writing assignments will be graded on a done/not-done basis, while other writing assignments will be given a formal letter grade. All writing assignments are important, though, and should be given appropriate attenti on, time, and energy.

Peer Review

One good way of improving your writing is by getting as much feedback as you can. You can do this on your own, but we'll also be doing it formally in class by breaking up into peer review groups and reading each other's papers.

Policies

Grading

For each writing assignment that is given a letter grade, you can raise your grade by doing a revision which will be due on the last day of class. These revisions are optional but encouraged. The final grade for any given paper will be the average of th e original grade and the grade for your revision. Essays #2 and 4 fall under this category.

For writing assignments graded on a done/not-done basis, doing all of them fully and completely means you get an "A" for this part of your grade. For each uncompleted assignment in this category, this part of your grade will drop a full letter grade (e.g . from an "A" to a "B"). Freewriting, peer reviews, and Essays #1 & 3 fall under this category.

Class preparation and participation constitute the "Participation and Preparation" part of your grade.

Attendance

Attendance is very, very, very, very important! This is a discussion/workshop based class, so without you there is no class. You must attend all class meetings and film screenings, and you must be on-time! Failure to atte nd class can result in a significantly lowered grade for the course and/or failing the course.

Collaborative Writing/Plagiarism

I encourage you to work with one another to become better writers and better thinkers by sharing your ideas and giving feedback on each other's work. However, the work you submit to this class is expected to be your own. When you want to refer to someon e else's ideas (even the ideas of someone else in this class), you must properly acknowledge your sources. Sometimes this involves providing appropriate citations in the body of your writing and additional bibliographic information at the end. Ot her times it involves using footnotes correctly. If you have questions about how to cite a source properly, consult a style manual or ask me. If you submit work that has been copied without attribution from some published or unpublished source, or that has been prepared by someone other than you, or that in any other way misrepresents somebody else's work as your own, you will face severe discipline by the University! Work that is your own work but has been submitted to more than one class for credit i s also considered plagiarism unless you have obtained the permission of all course instructors involved prior to handing in the work. For more detailed information, see the College of Arts and Sciences' pages on academic integrity at http://www.sas.upenn.edu/college/rules/academic_integrity.html.