FVC 101.03 F06 Course Content Survey

Every semester students prepare a course content survey at about the mid-point of the course. Instructors are required to prepare a response indicating what they see as the special challenges of the course and proposing changes, if needed, based upon the course content survey. Since the course content survey is largely reflective of the students's own experience rather than an assessment of the instructor, the concentration of the answers can be intensely personal and subjective; at the same time, the survey provides an excellent indicator of common experiences in the course. What I find here is a need for caution in approaching thesis-based assignments: many of you comment here that formulating thesis statements and creating outlines out of these statements presented special difficulty. Therefore, this aspect of writing should be given greater attention so that thesis construction becomes easier for the majority of you. I also find considerable interest in "more and better" instruction for oral presentations. I concur with you that this is a particular need, and plan to incorporate a fuller instruction earlier in '07-'08, which should make the next class happier. For you, the remedy can be presented from now until the end of term, and in the Spring of 2008. I imagine by April some of you will be begging to be relieved of oral work. But now that may be difficult to imagine.

What aspect or assignment in this course was the most difficult for you?

One aspect or assignment I found difficult was preparing notes in a different format before handing them in. Not only was it frustrating to rework my personal format, I felt that I didn’t get nearly as much out of the presentation as I could have by taking notes in my traditional manner.

Instructor comment: I don’t recall having insisted on any particular format (except to include an address and name heading, which should hardly have effected the notes per se), although the assignment called for the notes to be complete. Not knowing the “traditional manner” I couldn’t say whether that was effective or not.

So far the essay on Tolkien and Balzac for comparison and contrast was the most difficult. It’s been over 6 years since I wrote an essay and I only remember writing one essay in high school. I had to get used to the format and on top of that I had a hard time thinking up a thesis statement. My rough draft received a decent grade. Sometimes I feel lost when writing, but my grades are better than I expected.

I would say the hardest thing in this class was the comparative essay. The hard part was the thesis and it was just a much more in depth writing assignment than I was used to. I think that I learned a tremendous amount through this assignment, so it was a “good” hard, as opposed to a “bad” hard.

Instructor comment: I’m glad to hear some advantage accrued.

Writing a thesis statement was difficult for me. It took me a while to come up with it, because I have a difficult time with writing[;] I needed more help.

Instructor comment: You should speak with me about help. I can only provide so much during class sessions, and if your need is really great, we have the writing workshop for assistance. The basic policy of the administration and faculty is that we are very willing to help, but can only do so much to identify persons needing help; if you need help, you must ask for it, because by the time we are able to recognize a problem, you may feel it is too late. If you need help on a specific assignment, make an appointment to meet with me while work on that assignment is going forward. Afterwards is, well, too late.

The comparison essay between [“]Leaf by Niggle[“] and [“]The Unknown Masterpiece[“] – because I didn’t fully understand [“]Leaf by Niggle[“].

Instructor comment: You’re welcome to contact me during my office hours, or call me. I have a pretty good idea of what “Leaf by Niggle” is about and could give you some suggestions.

The comparative essay – outlining has always been a challenge for me. And the oral presentation – I was unclear about the subject I was presenting (Faigley versus Orwell).

I would have to say the most difficult assignment was the Balzac and Tolkien comparative essay, because it was the most time-consuming and had many steps.

Two things were difficult: the time of the class – before a seven hour class [it] could be compared to Hell. The outline to the comparative essay was also difficult. In high school no one helps with that or MLA parts of the document so it took a while to figure things out. MLA should be covered longer here.

Instructor comment: The prescription that MLA should be covered in more detail parallels my own sense, particularly after the MLA pre-test. However, not all students had quite the same view. Consider, for example, the student who wrote, in response to the question “What aspect or assignment was the least difficult?”, [The aspect which was least difficult was] the whole MLA thing[;] I already knew about it since high school[;] I don’t understand why we needed to keep repeating it.”



The assignment that was most difficult to me was the beginning writing on the first day of class. I know this sounds weird because it wasn’t really graded, but I was worried about ho I did and hoping I did well since I didn’t want to gain an extra class onto my schedule.

Having several assignments at a time has proved the biggest challenge so far. Learning to juggle them and have them done at the appointed time is something I’m new at.

I don’t really like reading, but I do it. The only real difficulty is probably my mechanics and grammar when writing papers.

Going for a year or so without writing an official essay, thesis and all, and then having to do one[,] was difficult. Such as getting the ideas prepared and organized to fit the guidelines.

Instructor comment: Fragments and so on.

I’d say the amount of books / amount of reading was the most daunting work load.

Instructor comment: Brace yourself.




What aspect or assignment was the least difficult?

Instructor comment: compare this first student comment with the last one in the previous section.

All the reading wasn’t difficult. It was enjoyable.

One aspect I found least difficult was the obituary / pen pal letter assignment. This is probably because we were able to create a story, rather than an essay or an informative paper.

The least difficult assignment had to be the obituary. All I had to do was write about my life up to that point and the goals I had in mind. Although I did not receive an overall grade of A on the assignment I could have probably done a bit better and because it was an early assignment I was not thinking hard enough about what to write. Not that I was doing that on purpose, but … I hadn’t been pushed yet.

I think the least difficult assignment was the pen pal letter.

The pen pal letter [was least difficult;] it was essentially a free form piece with few limitations.


The assignment that was least difficult was the “term speeches”. I liked it because I need to be more comfortable while standing in front of the class, and this assignment helped.

The oral presentation – once I understood the information I was to present, it was easy. I don’t mind speaking in front of an audience about something I know.

The least difficult assignment for me was the paragraph we wrote from our presentations. It was easy for me because of the topic I had.

Although I’m sure they will [become] more difficult as the year goes along, the writing assignments haven’t been as hard as I expected. They’re by no means easy, just not that difficult.

The majority of the writing assignments in-class weren’t too difficult.

The atmosphere of the classroom made me, for once in an “English” class, feel comfortable. It was easy to speak out and discuss things here. [It has been] a laid back setting where I learned something.

Instructor comment: apparently this student enrolled in a different class than the student who wrote, in response to “What did you think you were going to learn that you didn’t learn?”, “I thought more of a discussion would take place, rather than just lecture.”


The whole MLA thing, I already knew about it since high school, I don’t understand why we needed to keep repeating it.

Instructor comment: I’m glad you’ve mastered the MLA form, but I think you are one of two students in the class who have done so. Perhaps you could share your knowledge with others by offering yourself as a tutor. On the other hand, I notice that you need to learn how to avoid sentence fragments and the proper use of the semi-colon, which apparently you have confused with the comma. Perhaps we should spend some time studying punctuation.

Honestly, listening and paying attention was the easiest thing for me in this class. Achtermann is one of those characters who knows a lot about what he teaches[. It] was very easy for me to “get into the class.”

Instructor comment: Yes, I am a character, aren’t I?

What did you think you were going to learn that you didn’t learn?

How to speak in front of a crowd for 10 minute intervals. [This is followed by the response to the question “What did you learn that you didn’t expect to learn?”: practically everything in here. I thought it was a speech class.}

Instructor comment: I assume there was some confusion between “verbal” and “oral”. Next semester we will take on “The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son” and you may have an opportunity then of regaling the masses for ten minutes at a time. For the moment, I considering that I am modeling the behavior for you, so watch and learn – watch and learn.

Something I though I would learn but haven’t is how to better create stories, rather than essay papers.

Instructor comment: We offer a course in Creative Writing which should satisfy your craving at least in part. You will have scant need of story writing over the next three and a half years, and much need of essay writing. Also, good story writing is a much more complicated matter than some folks seem to believe, and teaching good story writing is an involved process. We will have some opportunities in the Spring to write stories, but, sadly, the mainstay of this course writing-wise is the essay.

I was expecting a course more along the lines of learning about grammar and reading stories from start to finish. Essentially reading an entire book, one at a time.

Instructor comment: My, you have a leisured view of time.

I didn’t learn how to understand Old English. I have trouble with that.

Instructor comment: Ic tó; ac is ná dhe án biccum?

I thought more of a discussion would take place, rather than just lecture.


I didn’t expect as much coverage on the different types of communication (ex.: writing) as we have worked with.

I thought I would learn more about presenting and more oral presentations.

More/better tips for oral presentations – this is a VERBAL communications class; I thought we would have more class discussions and oral assignments.

Instructor comment: 1. Good things come to those who wait. 2. “Verbal” is not identical to “oral”.

I thought I was going to learn to write better or improve my writing, but I don’t think I did.

Not as much grammar, but I think it’s getting better.

N/a

All bases were covered.

Instructor comment: Including Orwell’s exhortation to avoid cliché.

So far, the course has covered what I expected.


What did you learn that you didn’t expect to learn?

Instructor comment: By this question, many students seem to have lost the ability to form complete sentences. I have left most responses unedited, save for minor spelling corrections.

Practically everything in here. I thought it was a speech class.

Instructor comment: Oops.

Something I have learned, but didn’t expect to, is the proper formatting of essay outlines as well as essays themselves.




Outlining and drafting techniques I didn’t expect to learn. I thought we would have assumed to know how to already.

Instructor comment: Oh, how I wish I could make that assumption.

I have learned to communicate better and to try to think harder about what to do and to push myself since I am now in college. This course is also giving me a sense of confidence in this subject.

I didn’t expect to learn so much about the books we already read and things we needed to touch upon.

Breaking down writing to the basic structure.

I’ve learned about time management[:] how to balance my schedule.

Instructor comment: And you didn’t even have to go to the workhouse infirmary.

I really gained more confidence in public speaking through my presentation, as well as seeing how others presented. I’ve always had trouble with presentations so I didn’t expect to get over my fear of it… but I did.

Many many many things. Mostly anything not related to class specifically, that was told by the teacher. The elaborate explanations and tangents from class, I think, made it pretty enjoyable. It’s a turn from just boring lectures.

The only thing I didn’t expect to learn that I ended up using quite a bit was study guide skills. Now I am able to make an accurate study guide to rpepare for tests and quizzes. To me this is very valuable.

Writing a study guide.

I’ve learned to be a better reader by taking notes while I read.

That Tolkien can write interesting short stories.

Instructor comment: Well, not any more he can’t.