Composition Dates and Topics for Spring 2008

January 31, 2008
Description of a person or animal

February 7, 2008
Revision of first paper

February 14, 2008
If you scored 80 or better on the description of a person or animal, describe a time when you got angry, telling what happened, how you felt, and how the situation was resolved.
If you scored lower than 80 on the description of a person or animal, describe a place--a city, street, or building, in sufficient detail that a reader could visualize the place.

February 21. 2008
Revision of second paper

February 28, 2008
Using the past tenses, describe a historical event, or narrate the plot of a movie or short story. Please do not write about yourself.

March 6, 2008
Revision of third paper

March 27, 2008
Use command forms (mandatos) to give instructions for completing some task such as a game or sport. No cooking recipes, please. Use either the or usted commands, but be consistent.

April 3, 2008
Revision of fourth paper

April 10, 2008
Use the conditional and past subjunctive to write on an imaginary "what if" topic, such as what you would change in the unversity if you had the authority, or what you would do if you were invisible.

April 17, 2008
Revision of fifth paper

April 24, 2008
Free choice of topic: the objective is to find a level at which you can write error-free prose.

May 1, 2008
Revision of sixth paper

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Format and evaluation of compositions

1. If you type or word process your paper, please print it double-spaced. You will need the space between lines to insert corrections.

2. If you write your paper by hand, please leave a wide margin on one side, write on every other line, and be certain your a's and o's, e's and i's can be distinguished.

3. At the end of your paper, please state the number of words you have written. Do not count your name or the title. Some word processors will count automatically.

4. The minimum number of words is 50. If you wish to exceed 100 words, please draw a line after the 100th word. Your grade will be based on the first 100 words.

5. A ratio will be computed comparing the number of correctly written words to the total number of words. You will receive an A if you have no more than one mistake for every 20 words; a B if you have no more than one mistake for every 10 words; a C if you have no more than one mistake for every 5 words; a D if you have no more than one mistake for every 3 words.


This table converts error ratios to numerical grades:

 

 

3.00-3.19= 60

3.20-3.39= 61

3.40-3.59= 62

3.60-3.79= 63

3.80-3.99= 64

4.00-4.19= 65

4.20-4.39= 66

4.40-4.59= 67

4.60-4.79= 68

4.80-4.99= 69

5.00-5.49= 70

5.50-5.99= 71

6.00-6.49= 72

6.50-6.99= 73

7.00-7.49= 74

7.50-7.99= 75

8.00-8.49= 76

8.50-8.99= 77

9.00-9.49= 78

9.50-9.99= 79

10.0-10.9= 80

11.0-11.9= 81

12.0-12.9= 82

13.0-13.9= 83

14.0-14.9= 84

15.0-15.9= 85

16.0-16.9= 86

17.0-17.9= 87

18.0-18.9= 88

19.0-19.9= 89

20.0-22.4= 90

22.5-24.9= 91

25.0-27.4= 92

27.5-29.9= 93

30.0-32.4= 94

32.5-34.9= 95

35.0-37.4= 96

37.5-39.9= 97

40.0-49.9= 98

50.0-59.9= 99

60.0 or better= 100

 

 

 


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