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Goals and Objectives:

• The English Senior Seminar, and the English 441 tutorial which you are taking concurrently, are designed to help graduating seniors in two primary ways:

1. Through the study of essays about some of the most important issues (and by some of the most respected scholar/critics)  in contemporary literary studies, you will gain a strong sense of the major debates that are shaping the evolving field of "English."  
2. Through the development of a Senior portfolio, you will be ready to approach either graduate study or the job market with a strong array of writing samples that should help you showcase your skills and talents.  

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Grading:

• work ethic                         30%
• class presentations          20%
• senior portfolio                 50%

• Note:  Since we meet only once a week, attendance is absolutely crucial.  Missing more than one meeting during the semester will seriously affect your work ethic grade.  

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Writing Requirements:  Senior Portfolio

Note:  All final student portfolios must include the seven items in Section A and at least three from Section B, for a total of at least 10 items.   Students interested in some form of Professional Writing/Journalism/Creative Writing career should have several samples from Section B to show prospective employers/graduate directors.  

Section A:  

Personal Writing

1. 250-word personal essay:  "Why I Read"
2. 500-word personal essay:  "What I've Learned in College"

Academic Writing

     3.  personal statement/intellectual autobiography for graduate school or professional school
     4.  academic writing sample:  10-15 page research paper

Job Search Writing:

     5.  resumé
     6.  solicited job application letter
     7.  non-solicited job application letter

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Section B:  

Professional Writing:

     8.  memo
     9.  business letter
   10.  short report


Journalism  (ideally published)  

   11.  film or theater review
   12.  book review
   13.  music or visual arts review
   14.  interview
   15.  news article
   16.  interview
   17.  feature story


Radio/Television/Film/Playwrighting

   18.  30-second radio/television script  (PSA or ad)
   19.  1-minute radio/television script  (PSA or ad)
   20.  narrative script for film/television/theatre (could count for up to three items)  


Creative Writing
    21.  poetry
    22.  fiction
    23.  non-fiction


New Media
    24.  web design/writing (could count for up to three items)