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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CW/DJRN 346-2"
COURSE NAME: "Creative Writing Workshop: Travel Writing"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elizabeth Farren
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This creative nonfiction workshop explores the long tradition of travel writing, fostered by the keen observation and thoughtful documentation of landscape and culture that travel inspires. Students will gain exposure to several subgenres encompassed by the term travel writing including, but not limited to, the travel memoir, the travel essay, guidebooks, and food and humor pieces that tandem as travel writing. The course offers instruction in the research and mechanics of travel writing aimed at the generation of articles and essays for newspapers, magazines, guidebooks, the Internet, as well as how to begin drafting ideas for longer-form works.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This class consists of writing workshops, peer reviews, lectures, discussions of assigned readings, in-class writing exercises, and possible excursions to literary events. The readings will correspond to the writing genre of interest, and will provide a foundation and model for the writing assignments themselves. The workshop process allows students to develop critical thinking skills, editorial awareness, and pushes students toward self-improvement along with the adaptation of literary techniques. The workshop process assists students with the discovery of their own aesthetic sensibilities and principles, and allows students to hone in on their writing strengths, their weaknesses, and the way their work and words are interpreted by their contemporaries. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will become familiar with the travel writing genre including historical and contemporary examples. Students will gain writing and editing skills, and better understand the writing techniques employed when generating ideas and producing their own travel pieces. Students will have gained writing exposure to the editorial skills necessary to offer critique and self-edit, while taking their own work through various stages of revision.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Final PortfolioDetailed weekly assignments are given in class. Students are expected to meet deadlines and produce drafts that meet the assigned word or page count. Students must provide their work for peer reviews; drafts will be revised and polished for the final portfolio. NB: Students must submit a Final Portfolio to receive a passing grade in the class, regardless of whether they produced work or participated in workshops. See portfolio guidelines on Moodle for information on extensions and the grading policy for late portfolios.60
ParticipationParticipation is extremely important. Students are required to participate in daily discussions about the readings, as well as offer considered and thoughtful critiques during the workshops, with the aim of helping to improve each writer's unique style and capacity.15
Conscientiousness of self-editingStudents must revise their work over the course of editing several drafts. Students must be able to show evident development from one draft to the next; changes cannot merely be in proofing or grammar, but rather must show evidence of thoughtful alteration and progress.15
Preparation & In-Class WritingPart of the assessment will include peer reviews and reader responses to the assigned readings, as well as in-class writing prompts that will be ungraded but compulsory.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

This schedule is subject to change and is not the definitive course calendar.
Specific dates, guidelines, readings, and assignments will be made available in class and on Moodle. Student work will be workshopped weekly.

Week One: 

Course Introduction:
Travel Writing – fiction vs. nonfiction; the nonfiction playbook

 

Week Two:

Micro-travel Stories & Blog Posts; writing in miniature; finding a way to pack a punch

 

Week Three:
Internet-based travel writing the creation of content; Blog creation

 

 

Week Four:
Observation: the eye of the writer in journals, notes, photography, memory, and details; local subjects

 

 

Week Five:
The longer travel essay: structure, voice, subject, object, and nuance; the construction of the travel essay

 

 

Week Six

Food in travel; taste, smell; the language of food; the magic of eating to tell

 

 

Week Seven
Travel & Humor: laughter, satire, and the power of self mockery

 

Week Eight
Journalistic techniques: Research, Interviews, objectivity vs subjectivity; finding subjects; using objects

 

 

Week Nine

Midterm Conferences

Week Ten

Travel Memoir: Becoming the protagonist in your own work; self identity

;

Week Eleven

Travel narration and voice ; identity and voice

 

Week Twelve
Cultural appropriation: showing and telling; reverence and revulsion

 

Week Thirteen
Editing, cutting, and reading as an editor
Workshop & Process Analysis

 

Week Fourteen

Writing Query Letters, Pitching Editors 

Portfolios Due on last day of class;

Class Reading

Please note that no late portfolios will be accepted, no exceptions.