PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
MASTER SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTION TO PLAYWRITING
 ENGL 2660

Class Hours: 3.0

 

Credit Hours: 3.0

 

Laboratory Hours: 0.0

 

Revised:  Spring 09

 

 

 

 

 

Catalog Course Description:

 

 

 

Writing of plays in combination with study of models and techniques.

Entry Level Standards:

 

 

 

Students should have knowledge of expository writing skills, the sort often derived from, but not exclusive to, freshman composition.

Prerequisites:

 

 

 

ENGL 1020 or consent of instructor

Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:

 

 

Hall, Roger A. Writing Your First Play.  Boston: Focal Press, 1998.
Hatcher, Jeffrey.  The Art and Craft of Playwriting.  Cincinnati: Story Press, 1996.

I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:

 

 

 

Week 

Topic

 

1

Reading: ACP, 7-20; WP, 15-24
Assignment(s): Drama and Theater; Stage Terminology

 

2

Reading: WP, 1-11; ACP, 21-56
Assignment(s): Premise and Action

 

3

Reading: ACP, 79-92; WP, 12-23 
Assignment(s): Structure and Conflict

 

4

Reading: WP, 25-36
Assignment(s): Character

 

5

Reading: ACP, 133-153; WP, 38-51
Assignment(s): Dialogue

 

6

Reading: WP, 53-68
Assignment(s): Three-Character Conflict

 

7

Reading: ACP, 93-112
Assignment(s): Beginnings

 

8

Reading: ACP, 113-122
Assignment(s): Middles

 

9

Reading: ACP, 123-134 
Assignment(s): Endings

 

10

Reading: WP, 70-86
Assignment(s): Writing from Life

 

11

Reading: WP, 89-102 
Assignment(s): Writing from a Source

 

12

Reading: WP, 104-111
Assignment(s): Spontaneous Composition

 

13

Reading: WP, 105; 149-150; Handouts
Assignment(s): People, Places and Props

 

14

Reading: ACP, 154-174 
Assignment(s): Script Analysis: Hedda Gabler

 

15

Final Exam Period
Assignment(s): Writing and Revising

II. Course Objectives*:

 

 

 

A.

Understand the techniques of imaginative and pardigmatic literature and the critical approaches that clarify its nature and meaning. I.1, 4; II.1, 6 

 

B.

Appreciate the quality of imagination and the discipline required to produce stage plays.  I.1, 4; II.6

 

C.

Develop and expand a sensitivity to and a thoughtful attitude toward life and its experiences. II.2, 4, 5; III.3 

 

D.

Strengthen the skills of writing and revising introduced in such courses as English Composition. I.1, 4, 5

 

E.

Strengthen the skills of critical reading and thinking. I.1, 4, 7; II.1, 2, 6

*Roman numerals after course objectives reference TBR's general education goals.

III. Instructional Processes*: 

 

 

Students will:

 

 

 

 

1.

Collaborate in teams for peer review of drafts to analyze audience and message, to develop and organize ideas, and to evaluate drafts as to effectiveness and clarity. Communications Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy 

 

2.

Write and analyze manuscripts using word processing software. Communication Outcome, Technological Literacy Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

3.

Listen to guest speakers who are published authors.  Transitional Strategy

 

4.

Read assigned manuscripts and participate in class discussion. Communication Outcome, Humanities and/or Fine Arts Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

5.

Develop research skills using library sources and the internet to find pertinent information. Communication Outcome, Technological Literacy Outcome, Transitional Strategy. Active Learning Strategy 

 

6.

Develop oral presentation skills to present individual or group information. Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

7.

Create a one-act stage play in collaboration with Speech and Theatre Department with view toward eventual production. Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

8.

Internalize the work ethic by regularly attending class, being punctual, being dependable, cooperating with the teacher and other classmates, contributing to class discussion and projects, and acting in a professional manner while in class.  Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.

IV. Expectations for Student Performance*: 

 

 

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

 

1.

Identify the tripartite structure and other features of a play. A, B

 

2.

Develop a play from a premise and with attention to the six elements of Aristotle. A, B

 

3.

Develop and build characters in a play. A, B

 

4.

Write convincing dialogue that incorporates both exposition and action. A, B, D

 

5.

Analyze and solve problems concerning location and props. A, B, E

 

6.

Manipulate three-character conflicts. A, B, C, E

 

7.

Focus on creating effective beginnings, middles, and endings in plays. A, B, C, D

 

8.

Write a one-act script for the purpose of reading and production. A, B, C, D, E

*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.

V. Evaluation:

 

 

 

A. Testing Procedures:

 

Fifty percent of the final grade will be based on tests and quizzes. Fifty percent of the final grade will be based on a portfolio of exercises and a completed stageplay.

 

B. Laboratory Expectations:

 

 None

 

C. Field Work:

 

 None

 

D. Other Evaluation Methods:

 

 None

VI. Policies:

 

 

 

A. Attendance Policy:

 

Attendance, promptness, and participation are essential to success in college courses.  The general attendance policy of the College states that students must be present for at least 75 percent of scheduled class meetings in order to receive credit for the course; thus, students who miss 25 percent of class meetings will fail the course.  Therefore, any student who must miss an excessive number of classes for any reason is advised to withdraw from the College under the "Mitigating Circumstances" provision as described in the PSTCC Catalog.

 

B. Academic Dishonesty:

 

Any student found engaging in an act of academic dishonesty will be promptly dismissed from the course with a grade of F.  According to the PSTCC Catalog & Handbook,
    Prohibited activities include but are not limited to the following practices:
•    Cheating, including but not limited to unauthorized assistance from material, people, or devices when taking a test, quiz, or examination; writing papers or reports; solving problems; or completing academic assignments
•    Plagiarism, including but not limited to paraphrasing, summarizing, or directly quoting published or unpublished work of another person, including online or computerized services, without proper documentation of the original source
•    Purchasing or otherwise obtaining prewritten essays, research papers, or materials prepared by another person or agency that sells term papers or other academic materials to be presented as one’s own work
•    Taking an exam for another student
•    Providing others with information and/or answers regarding exams, quizzes, homework or other classroom assignments unless explicitly authorized by the instructor
•    Any of the above occurring within the Web or distance-learning environment.

 

C. Accommodations for disabilities:

 

Students who need accommodations because of a disability, have emergency medical information to share, or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated should inform the instructor immediately, privately after class or in her or his office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 134 or 126 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153. More information is available at www.pstcc.edu/departments/swd/.