Class Syllabus: Writing Basics 101: Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Writing Structures
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Course Description
Most of us learned spelling and grammar in elementary school and brushed up on the rules occasionally in junior high or middle school. Once we entered high school, it was assumed we knew and remembered all of the essentials -- and slowly we discovered that although there were some rules we just had to look up, we simply stopped worrying about "the minor details." It's time to relearn those "minor details" that can help you write, and read more effectively. But it's hard to fix something unless you know how it works.  This self-paced, stress-free course was developed not only for students wanting to improve their basic writing skills, but also for business writers, creative writers and office staff wanting to improve poor work related writing and avoid embarrassing their boss and themselves. Our innovative course is designed as a refresher course for those who need to brush up on their skills and a reference for anyone who wants to be able to look up the rules for confusing grammatical questions quickly and easily. After you've reviewed the basic rules of grammar and spelling, you can move on to the lessons on writing style for tips on improving your sentence and paragraph structure, how to polish your writing and how to avoid common errors.
And because the course is online doesn't mean that you'll be left on your own. The instructor will be grading assignments and tests and is available through email to answer questions and provide guidance. Why not join us, learn at your own pace and your own schedule and reap the benefits? Course Requirements
There are no educational requirements other than a high school reading level.
Course Goals
Goals for Complete Grammar Course
- Review Basic Spelling Rules
- Become familiar with Common Homonyms and frequently Misspelled Words
- To understand spelling dilemmas such as ‘ie’ vs. ‘ei’
- Review Parts of Speech and Basic Grammar Rules
- Review the forms and proper usage of Punctuation
- To become familiar with the structure and forms of the Writing Process
- Learn tips and strategies for proofreading and editing Course Materials
All course materials will be online and no outside purchases will be required.
Grading Policy
The course consists of several lessons divided into four subjects which focus on Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Improvement topics. At the end of each lesson will be brief quiz and/or assignment based on the lesson material. There are points for assignments and quizzes and class participation in forums (discussions). A percentage grade will be given based on point accumulation.
Outline
- Introduction
- Lesson 1: The Basic Rules of Spelling
- Lesson 2: Commonly Misspelled Words
- Lesson 3: Plural Forms for Names, Compound Words and Numbers
- Lesson 4: Understanding 'ie' Versus'ei' and Other Spelling Dilemmas
- Lesson 5: Prefix and Suffix Rules
- Lesson 6: Common Prefixes and Suffixes
- Lesson 7: Homonyms
- Lesson 8: Subject and Predicate
- Lesson 9: Verb Tenses
- Lesson 10: Nouns and Pronouns
- Lesson 11: Adjectives and Adverbs
- Lesson 12: The Phrase
- Lesson 13: The Clause
- Lesson 14: Periods and Other End Stops
- Lesson 15: Commas
- Lesson 16: Apostrophes
- Lesson 17: Colons and Semicolons
- Lesson 18: Hyphens
- Lesson 19: Quotation Marks
- Lesson 20: Refining Your Sentences
- Lesson 21: Paragraph Structure
- Lesson 22: Types of Paragraphs
- Lesson 23: Writing Dialogue
- Lesson 24: Proofreading and Revising Your Writing
- Additional Writing Resources
Learning Outcomes By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Define the basic rules of spelling.
- Recognize commonly misspelled words.
- Demonstrate proper use of plural forms for names, compound words and numbers.
- Recognize 'ie' versus 'ei' and other spelling dilemmas.
- Define prefix and suffix rules.
- Identify common prefixes and suffixes.
- Define homonyms.
- Identify subject and predicate and demonstrate using them properly.
- Identify verb tenses and demonstrate using them properly.
- Identify nouns and pronouns and demonstrate using them properly.
- Identify adjectives and adverbs and demonstrate using them properly.
- Identify the phrase and clause and use them correctly.
- Identify and properly use periods, commas, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, hyphens, and quotation marks.
- Refine your sentence writing, identify types of paragraphs and form paragraphs correctly.
- Demonstrate correct writing of dialogue.
- Proofread and revise your writing, and
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
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