Grammar & Composition II

Unit 1: Definition Essay

Definition allows you to communicate precisely what you want to say. Important words often confuse readers and hamper communication. In this unit, you will be writing an essay that strives for clarity and serves as an extended definition of a word or phrase.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (1.A.2)
  • Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension. (1.A.2.a)
  • Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. (1.A.2.b)
  • Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. a. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (1.A.2.c)
  • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. (1.A.2.d)
  • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.2.e)
  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (1.A.2.f)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. (1.B.3)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (1.C.3)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (2.A.1)
  • Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
  • Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (2.A.2)
  • Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
  • Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (2.B.2)
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (2.C.1)
  • Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
  • Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
  • Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
  • Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

Unit 2: Comparison-Contrast Essay

A comparison points out the ways that two or more people, places, or things are alike. A contrast points out how the differ. In this unit you will continue working toward clarity of ideas in our writing, as you explain in detail the similarities and differences between two or more items in a general category.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (1.A.2)
  • Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension. (1.A.2.a)
  • Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. (1.A.2.b)
  • Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. a. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (1.A.2.c)
  • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. (1.A.2.d)
  • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.2.e)
  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (1.A.2.f)
• Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. (1.A.3)
  • Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. (1.A.3.a)
  • Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. (1.A.3.b)
  • Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. (1.A.3.c)
  • Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. (1.A.3.d)
  • Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. (1.A.3.e)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. (1.B.3)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (1.C.3)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (2.A.1)
  • Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (2.B.2)
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (2.C.1)
  • Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
  • Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
  • Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
  • Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

Unit 3: MLA Documented Research Paper

So, you are going to college…you will write PAPERS, lots of papers. Your professor will not teach you how to write them. This is your shot. In college, the syllabus will tell you when the paper is due and what the length of the paper will be. Then you are on your own. Yikes.

In this unit, you will experience the process of writing such a lengthy piece; M.L.A. documentation style; a Roman Numeral outline; time management (not procrastination, eh?) and endurance until page 15!

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (1.A.1)
  • Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. (1.A.1.a)
  • Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. (1.A.1.b)
  • Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. (1.A.1.c)
  • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.1.d)
  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. (1.A.1.e)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. (1.B.3)
• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (1.C.1)
• Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (1.C.2)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (1.C.3)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (2.A.1)
  • Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
  • Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (2.A.2)
  • Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
  • Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (2.B.2)
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (2.C.1)
  • Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
  • Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
  • Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
  • Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

Unit 4: Description Essay

To describe is to create a verbal picture. A person, a place, a thing–even an idea or a state of mind–can be made vividly concrete through description. In this unit, you will focus on incorporating the details necessary to bring something to life for your readers and give them the sense that they really understand what you’re describing in words.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (1.A.2)
  • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. (1.A.2.d)
• Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. (1.A.3)
  • Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. (1.A.3.c)
  • Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. (1.A.3.d)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. (1.B.3)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (2.A.1)
  • Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (2.A.2)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. (2.C.2)
  • Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a w

This course is offered as dual credit through University of Missouri: St. Louis.^*

* Course offerings are dependent on enrollment and instructor availability.

Download the Grammar & Composition II - Dual Credit Information Sheet | Download the Grammar & Composition II - Dual Credit Syllabus

Find out more information about dual credit or email [email protected] if you have questions.