Nathan L.K. Bierma
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Calvin College
Grand Rapids, Michigan
nbierma [at] calvin.edu

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WEEK 1: A Theological Theory of Writing

Tuesday, Feb. 1

Syllabus and introduction

Thursday, Feb. 3

Nathan Bierma, “Enjoy reading and writing? You have alphabet to thank.” Chicago Tribune, 11/17/04
David Sacks, Letter Perfect, p. 16-17, 50-51
Compilation on the history and theology of writing
Quentin Schultze, Communicating for Life, p.13-20
Debbie Blue, “Betty’s Manger Scene Collection,” from Sensual Orthodoxy
C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory,” p.14-15

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WEEK 2: Paragraphing

Tuesday, Feb. 8

Zinsser, introduction, chapters 1 and 8
St. Martin’s, chapter 13: Argumentation
GRE Answers to the Real Essay Questions, #’s 10-12 and 17
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p. 3-15

Thursday, Feb. 10

St. Martin’s, chapter 5: Paragraphing
Jonathan Franzen, “Imperial Bedroom,” from How To Be Alone
David Brooks, “Superiority Complex.” The Atlantic Monthly, Nov. 2002
Steve Rushin, “It’s Now or Never.” Sports Illustrated, 12/13/04
Rick Reilly, “Give Casey Martin a Lift.” Sports Illustrated, 2/9/98

PAPER: Persuasive Essay intro and thesis due

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WEEK 3: Revising and Editing

Tuesday, Feb. 15

St. Martin’s, chapter 4: Revision and chapter 43: Effective Sentences
Zinsser, chapters 2 and 3
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p. 21-32

Thursday, Feb. 17

St. Martin’s, chapter 31: Grammar of Sentences

PAPER: Persuasive Essay Due

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WEEK 4: Your Writing Voice

Tuesday, Feb. 22

Zinsser, chapter 20
Louis Menand, “Bad Comma.” The New Yorker, 6/28/04
Leon J. Podles, “Literary Revelation.” Touchstone, September 2004
James Lileks, “Jim vs. James.” Washington Post, undated

Thursday, Feb. 24

Jonathan Franzen, “My Father’s Brain,” from How To Be Alone, p. 7-21, 34-38
Diane Ackerman, “The Enchanted Loom,” from An Alchemy of Mind
Caitlin Flanagan, “To Hell With All That.” The New Yorker, 7/5/04
The Onion, “There are so many experiences I want to write about having had.” 9/29/04
Mark Twain, “My First Lie” and “My First Literary Venture,” from Essays and Sketches of Mark Twain

PAPER: Research proposal and thesis due

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WEEK 5: Word Choice

Tuesday, March 1

Zinsser, chapters 6 and 7
Steve Rushin, Road Swing, p. 1-7
Nathan Bierma, “Dialogue: Steve Rushin.” Books&Culture online, 3/8/04

Rick Reilly, from Sports Illustrated:
“The Team I Love to Hate”
“A Crucial Timeout”
“Funny You Should Ask”
James Lileks, untitled. From www.lileks.com, 6/21/99
David Brooks, “A Time To Mourn.” The New York Times, 1/1/05
Julia Keller, from the Chicago Tribune:
“For fans, better to have loved, lost”
“The Loop’s aural tattoo”
“The elusive beauty of darkness”

Thursday March 3

Geoffrey Nunberg, Going Nucular, p.47-50 and 264-267
Nathan Bierma, “Despite White House theme, days numbered for ‘merry.’” Chicago Tribune, 12/15/04
Nathan Bierma, “Solutions.” Sightings, 12/9/04
Language Log on Mark Twain and “lagniappe”

PAPER: Personal Essay Due

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WEEK 6: Descriptive Writing

Tuesday, March 8

Zinsser, chapters 5 and 13
Henry David Thoreau, selections from Walden, #’s 16-23
Lauren Winner, “The Sage of Walden Pond.” Books&Culture, July/Aug. 2004
Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, p. 3-15
Leigh Montville, “Triumph on Sacred Ground.” Sports Illustrated, 10/18/93
Molly Ivins, “It’s a Jumble Out There.” Time, 7/12/99
Tony Norman, “Hundreds of mourners” and “On Christmas morn,” from the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette

Thursday, March 10

MID-TERM EXAM

March 11-March 20: SPRING BREAK

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WEEK 7: Introduction to Research

Tuesday, March 22

Zinsser, chapters 9-11
Louis Menand, “The Reluctant Memorialist: Maya Lin,” from American Studies
Malcolm Gladwell, “The Social Life of Paper,” The New Yorker, 3/25/02

Thursday, March 24

St. Martin’s, chapters 14-19 (Research)
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p. 133-144

PAPER: Words Essay due ***********************************

WEEK 8: Choosing and Evaluating Sources

Tuesday, March 29

Zinsser, chapter 15
Cecil Adams, from the Chicago Reader:
“Does barbecuing cause cancer?”
“Did the Reagan-era USDA really classify ketchup as a vegetable?”
“Does caffeine stunt your growth?”
“Is a diamond’s price a true measure of its value?”
“Do cannonballs explode in flaming fashion?”

Thursday, March 31

PAPER: Annotated Bibliography Due

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WEEK 9: Humor Writing

Tuesday, April 5

Zinsser, chapter 19
Dave Barry, selections
Dennis Miller, “Talk Shows” and “Our Overdependence on Technology”
Mark Twain, from Essays and Sketches of Mark Twain:
“Concerning Chambermaids”
“The Danger of Lying in Bed”
“The Late Benjamin Franklin”
Christopher Hitchens on Mark Twain: “American Radical.” The Atlantic Monthly, Nov. 2003
Hugh Gallagher, “The Wonder Years.” Literary Cavalcade, undated

Thursday, April 7

PAPER: Humor Essay Due

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WEEK 10: Movie reviews

Tuesday, April 12

Zinsser, chapter 18
Selected movie reviews by Anthony Lane, David Denby, Roger Ebert, and Tom Block

Thursday, April 14

PAPER: Research Paper First Draft due

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WEEK 11: Writing for Worship

Tuesday, April 19

John Witvliet, “A Discerning Spirit.” Books&Culture, Sept./Oct. 2003
Richard Mouw, “Nautical Rescue Themes in Evangelical Hymnody,” p.234-240, 246-250
Debbie Blue, “Glory Doesn’t Shine, It Bleeds,” from Sensual Orthodoxy

Thursday, April 21

PAPER: Movie review due

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WEEK 12: Style

Tuesday, April 26

NO CLASS: Reading Recess and Registration

Thursday, April 28

Zinsser, chapter 21
Joseph Williams, “Lesson Ten: Elegance,” from Style

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WEEK 13: Style continued

Tuesday, May 3

Zinsser, chapters 16 and 23

Tuesday, May 5

Zinsser, chapters 22 and 24

PAPER: Research Paper Final Draft Due

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WEEK 14: Exam preparation

Tuesday, May 10
Exam Review

Thursday, May 12
NO CLASS: Reading Recess

Friday, May 13
Final Exam