Section BB: Monday/Wednesday, 8:00 am�9:15 am
North 112
Bradley Hall, Y-16 (Placement Office)
516-572-7185, ext. 25686
e-mail: [email protected]
|
ENG 001: Preparatory English, Spring 2017 Section BB: Monday/Wednesday, 8:00 am�9:15 am North 112 |
Bradley Hall, Y-16 (Placement Office) e-mail: [email protected] |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. |
Important Announcements and Updates: Click
HERE
Print-friendly (MS
Word) course outline here.
Other printable
documents:
Rubric for Evaluation of Student Writing
Standard MLA Format for Essays
Revision and Editing Checklist
Incorporating Sources
Paragraph Outline
Essay Outline
DESCRIPTION:
This course provides intense instruction in small
classes to enable underprepared students to meet the demands of college-level
writing. Specifically, students practice basic writing skills in preparation for
the requirements of
English 101 (See catalog description of
English 101.) English 001 curriculum is designed to teach writing as a
process encompassing pre-writing exercises, drafting, revising, and editing, but
it is also provides review and instruction in basic grammar, punctuation,
sentence boundaries and structural and developmental issues related to basic
composition. Freshmen assigned to English 001 must pass it before enrolling in
ENG 101. English 001 is a pass/fail course with no withdrawals allowed.
COURSE GOALS AND OUTCOMES:
|
Course Goals |
Learning Outcomes |
|
Writing Literacy: to produce precise, clear, grammatically-correct, well-developed, and well-organized writing appropriate to academic, social, and occupational fields |
Produce coherent texts within common college level forms Revise and improve such texts |
|
Critical Thinking: develop critical thinking skills |
Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own and others� work Develop well-reasoned arguments |
|
Informational Literacy: to develop skills to locate, evaluate, and incorporate relevant source materials into the construction and expression of an informed point of view |
Apply ethical and legal standards for use of source information, demonstrating the application of accepted ethical and legal restrictions on the use of published works |
OBJECTIVES:
Students in English 001 will work:
1. To become aware of thinking and writing as processes of exploration, development and confirmation of ideas accomplished though written structures.
2. To develop specificity in discussing and writing, based on a realization of the interconnectedness of ideas and topics found in published texts across all disciplines.
3. To discuss and respond according to the process of writing, to three particular topics, through brainstorming, thesis development, and drafting.
4. To become aware of sequencing ideas in order to develop meaningful context through essay organization.
5. To summarize and paraphrase effectively.
6. To develop an understanding of simple, compound, and complex sentence structures, in order to manipulate these structures to produce clear, coherent, organized writing.
7. To learn revision as a necessary component of the writing process.
8. To edit and proofread, in the last stages of drafting and revision, for usage and correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
9. To develop and present a portfolio of at least three essays, made up of both in class and revised outside work, all of which reflect the writing process, assembled and presented by the student as a supplement to the ENG001 exit essay.
(see also Additional Textbook Options, below)
Required:
Eggers, Philip. Steps for Writers: Sentences and Paragraphs to the Essay, Vol. 1, 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. ISBN 9780205110438.
College bookstore options:
Buy new: $64.85
Buy used: $48.65
Rent new: $58.35
Rent used: $29.20
Also, available used starting at $23.99 at Amazon.com***
Supplemental handouts, to be distributed in class.
A good college-level
(paperback) dictionary (Available
used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com
).
Other materials:
A thumb drive or other portable storage device.
Pens (blue or black ink only) and a notebook and/or supply of 8�
x 11" ruled paper, not spiral bound.
Paper torn out of spiral-bound notebooks is not acceptable and will be
returned unread and ungraded.
Recommended additional texts:**
Bloom, Harold. How to Read and Why. New York: Scribner, 2000. (Available starting at $1.00 at Amazon.com)***
Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. New York: Random House, 2012, 2013. ( Available stating at $3.88 at Amazon.com)
Casagrande, June. Grammar Snobs are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language for Fun and Spite. New York: Penguin, 2006. (Available starting at $3.94 at Amazon.com)
---. Mortal Syntax: 101 Language Choices That Will Get You Clobbered by the Grammar Snobs�Even If You�re Right. New York: Penguin, 2008 (Available used starting at $6.61 at Amazon.com).
Cathcart, Thomas and Daniel Klein. �Logic.� Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2006. 27-49. (Available used starting at $6.73 at Amazon.com)
---. Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington: Understanding Political Doublespeak through Through Philosophy and Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2007. 27-49 (Available used starting at $10.85 at Amazon.com).
Crystal, David. Words, Words, Words. New York: Oxford U P, 2006 (Available used starting at $9.28 at Amazon.com).
Garvey, Mark. Stylized" A Slightly Obsessive History of Strunk & White�s The Elements of Style.. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 2009. (Available starting at $14.48 at Amazon.com).�
Kozol, Jonathan. Letters to a Young Teacher. New York: Crown, 2007 (Available starting at $12.15 at Amazon.com).
---. The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America. New York: Crown, 2005 (Available starting at $10.17 at Amazon.com).
Lamotte, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor, 1995. (Available starting at $3.09 at Amazon.com)
Lederer, Richard. Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language. Charleston, SC: Wyrick & Company, 1987 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).
---. More Anguished English: An Expose of Embarrassing Excruciating, and Egregious Errors in English. New York: Dell, 1994 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).
Levitin, Daniel J. A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age. New York: Dutton/Penguin, 2016. ( Available new starting at $9.53 at Amazon - cheaper than used!)***
Miller, Frank, et al. Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2015. (Available used starting at $3.99 at Amazon.com)
Morrison, Grant. Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. New York: Spiegel and Grau, 2011. (Available used starting at $2.15 at Amazon.com).
Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1985, 2005. (Available used starting at $6.74 at Amazon.com).
Shamalyan, M. Knight. I Got Schooled: The Unlikely Story of How a Moonlighting Movie Maker Learned the Five Keys to Closing America�s Education Gap. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013. (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).
Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. New York: Gotham Books, 2004 (Available used starting at $2.70 at Amazon.com).
*Note: Many of the essays to be read and discussed are available online; these are indicated on the schedule (below) as hyperlinks. However, students are still strongly cautioned that they will need to purchase the textbook, both for important information and instructions on the various rhetorical modes and also for several essays not available online.
** Recommended additional texts are not required purchases, and have not been ordered for the course; however, they provide�depending on the course� alternative readings, historical and cultural backgrounds, criticism, personal literary responses, or entertaining (irreverent, possibly sacrilegious) revisions. Students who find themselves becoming deeply interested in one or more of the required readings may find these interesting and/or useful. When indicated with a dagger (�), texts are only provisionally recommended, as I have not read these works yet, although they have received excellent reviews or recommendations.
*** Prices listed at Amazon.com do not include shipping, and are accurate as of original posting date only; no guarantees of prices or availability are express or implied�.
Attendance:
As per the Nassau Community College
attendance policy, �Students
are expected to attend all classes. Absences due to illness or for other serious
reasons may be excused at the discretion of the instructor. Students are advised
that absences in excess of 10% of the total class meetings may result being
dropped from the course.� Students
must not only attend every class but also arrive on time, be prepared, and take an active part in class
(see Participation, below); students
may be required to sign in each class session to verify their attendance.
Excessive absences or latenesses will adversely affect your
grade: Students may miss no more than
three classes; further absences will result in a reduction of
the final grade by one full letter grade for each additional absence. Students unable to attend class should contact the
instructor regarding their absence;
in addition, students are responsible for submitting all work on time regardless
of absences. In addition,
once students get to class, they are expected to stay in the classroom until the
class is over. Leaving class early or getting up in the middle of class is
considered disruptive behavior and should happen only in extreme emergencies.
Classroom Behavior:
Students are expected to be present, prepared,
attentive, and active participants in the learning process. As such, any
distracting or inappropriate behavior or unauthorized use of electronic devices*
is strictly prohibited. Students who wish to use a laptop for note-taking
may be allowed to do so at the instructor�s
discretion, but will be required to sit in the front row and to submit a copy of
their notes to the professor at the end of each class; failure to do so will
result in being recorded as absent. Eating, sleeping, texting, or other inappropriate
behavior may result in your being asked to leave the class and will adversely
affect your final grade. According to
the �Student
Code of Conduct,� �The College is committed to providing an
atmosphere in which students have freedom to learn and engage in the search for
truth, knowledge, and reason in accordance with the standards set forth by the
academic community. Conduct that adversely affects a student�s responsible
membership in the academic community shall result in appropriate disciplinary
action.� Appropriate disciplinary action may include but is not limited to
probation, suspension, and expulsion from the college. See the Nassau Community College
�Classroom
Management Policy� and
�Student
Code of Conduct� in
the college catalog.
*On cell phone use in class, see Andrew Lepp, Jacob E. Barkley, and Aryn C. Karpinski.
�The Relationship between Cell Phone Use and Academic Performance in a Sample of U.S. College Students.� SAGE Open 19 Feb. 2015.Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another�s words, ideas, or facts
without crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either
in whole or in part, as one�s own work; or submitting work previously submitted
for another course or instructor. Plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of
academic dishonesty on any assignment will
result in failure (a grade of zero) for that assignment and may result in further disciplinary
action, including but not limited to failure for the course and expulsion from
the college. See the Nassau Community College
policy on
�Academic
Dishonesty & Plagiarism.�
Homework/Essay Submission:
All writing assignments must be
received by the instructor on or before the due date, by the beginning of the
class period, as indicated on the
schedule, below. Students may
also be required to submit an electronic copy of their work via TurnItIn.com;
details to be announced.
Essays submitted by email will
not be accepted, and late work if accepted will be penalized 10%
for each day it is late; see below. All at-home work must be typed (in
12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and
stapled when submitted.
In-class work must be neatly printed in blue or black ink on loose-leaf
composition paper or in bluebooks provided by the instructor and double-spaced�.
All essays must also include a proper heading (see
Purdue Online
Writing Lab�s Formatting and Style Guide), including Word Count; have an
appropriate, original title; contain a clear, explicit, assertive,
objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be
underlined); and (unless otherwise indicated) avoid use of I or you
throughout. Finally, all work should be grammatically correct,
free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage,
spelling, and documentation, and will be evaluated according to the
Model for Evaluation of Student Writing.
Please refer to the Paragraph Outline or
Essay Outline and
Revising and Editing Checklist for
additional assistance.
� On format, handwriting, and neatness, see Chase, Clinton I. �Essay Test Scoring: Interaction of Relevant Variables.� Journal of Educational Measurement 23.1 (1986): 33-41; and Marshall, Jon C. and Jerry M. Powers. �Writing Neatness, Composition Errors, and Essay Grades.� Journal of Educational Measurement 6.2 (1988): 306-324.
Revisions:
All essays may be revised and resubmitted by the due dates announced when
the graded essays are returned. Revisions must be substantially revised, not merely
�corrected� versions of the original essay (revisions should be based upon the
Revising and Editing Checklist
and relevant information from class and the textbooks), and must be
submitted with the original graded essay and/or draft(s) attached as well as
one full typed page detailing the changes made, in the following pattern:
Paragraph 1: Changes in content. What was added, deleted, or modified.
Paragraph 2: Changes in organization. What sentences, ideas, or paragraphs were moved, how things were rearranged, and why.
Evidence of substantial revision may result in a better grade for the assignment. If you did not submit a completed essay on time, or if you submit a plagiarized essay, you will receive a grade of zero and may not submit a �revision.�
Make-up Exams/Late Work:
All assignment deadlines and scheduled exam dates are provided at the
beginning of the semester; therefore, no make-up opportunities will be offered
or late work accepted, except under
extraordinary circumstances with appropriate documentation, and
late work will be penalized 10% for each day or portion thereof it
is submitted after the due date.
Note: As all work is due at the beginning of the class period,
this includes work submitted after class has begun on the due date.
Excuses such as �crashed computers,� �lost flash drives,� or �empty printer ink cartridges� will not be accepted. All essays or work should be saved both on your computer�s hard drive and again on removable storage device as well as uploaded to cloud storage. (OneDrive, et cetera) Students should also keep backup copies of all work submitted.
*See also, Mike Adams, �The Dead Grandmother/Exam Syndrome.�
Disabilities and
Accommodations:
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that
may impact on your ability to carry out the assigned coursework, I urge you to
contact the staff at the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), Building U
(516 572-7241), TTY (516) 572-7617. The counselors at CSD will review your
concerns and determine to what reasonable accommodations you are entitled as
covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All information and documentation pertaining to
personal disabilities will be kept confidential.
Additional Assistance:
Students should avail themselves of the Writing Center and Help Centers
available in the English and Reading/BEP departments, located at Bradley and
North Halls and the Library, as part of this course. These services can be
considered an integral part of the course work and will help the student to
master the necessary knowledge and skills for Preparatory English.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attendance and Participation:
As this class will combine both lecture
and discussion, students are expected both to attend every session and to take
an active part in class�joining
in discussions and raising questions. Discussion is one of the best ways to
clarify your understandings and to test your conclusions. Open discussion always involves personal exposure, and thus the taking of
risks: your ideas may not be the same as your fellow students� or even the
instructor�s. Yet as long as your points are honest and supportable, they will be respected. Questions, discussion,
disagreement, and laughter are all encouraged. Taking an active part also means
being prepared: students should bring
pens, a notebook and/or loose-leaf paper, and the textbook to every class;
in addition, all reading or writing assignments must be completed in advance,
according to the schedule (below).
Diagnostic Essay (ungraded):
Students will complete an in-class
Diagnostic Essay
at the beginning of the semester on
a topic provided; this essay will be read and returned, but will not
receive a grade, nor will it affect your final average. Students should keep
this essay as the first item in their
Portfolios (see below).
Quizzes and
Online Exercises:
With the exception of the first
week, class may begin with a short (five- to ten-minute) quiz on the readings for the day, at the instructor�s discretion.
Quizzes cannot be made up; if you miss a quiz due to absence or
lateness, that grade will be regarded as a 0. At the end of the semester, the
lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
Online Exercises reviewing essential grammar and/or
writing skills may also be assigned, to be completed in class, or to be done
online as homework and submitted electronically.
In-Class Writing:
Students will complete various in-class writing assignments during the
semester, possibly including but not limited to short summaries, mini-essays,
and response papers.
Essays:
Students will complete at least four (4) expository essays of at least five to
eight paragraphs during the semester,
including the in-class
Final Essay. For each, a topic or list
of topic choices will be provided. Essays must be on one of the assigned topics
or they will receive grades of zero (0). As per the English Department�s policy, all students must
receive a passing grade of
at least �4�on
the
Final Essay to pass English 001;
see Rubric.
Portfolio:
The portfolio is a collection of written work produced over the course of the
semester. All written work, from the diagnostic essay through the final essay,
including revisions, should be kept in a folder and submitted at the end of the
semester to be reviewed; the final portfolio should include clean (ungraded,
revised, corrected) copies of the three best essays written during the semester. Complete portfolios demonstrating consistent
improvement may, in extraordinary circumstances, merit a passing grade in cases
where the final exam is judged unsatisfactory; see
Grading,
below.
Additional Recommended Events:
Introduction to Blackboard
The Office of Distance Education is holding on-campus open
demonstrations for students in G Building, Room 149:Thursday, January 19, 2:30�3:45 pm
Friday, January 20, 2:00�3:15 pm
Monday, January 23, 3:30�4:45 pm
Tuesday, January 24, 11:30 am�12:45 pm
No sign-up needed! First-come-first-serve basis!
For questions, please call the Office of Distance Education
516.572.7883
Writing Center Grammar Review Workshops (1 point each)
Sentence Building and Avoiding Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fragments
Using Correct Punctuation: Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Formation, Tense UsageTuesday/Thursday Club Hour Series: 11:30 am to 12:45 pm
Thursday, March 2
Library L 233-A Building Compound Sentences
Tuesday, March 7 Library L 233-A Building Complex Sentences
Tuesday, March 7 Bradley Hall Ballroom Building Compound Sentences
Tuesday, March 14 Bradley Hall Ballroom Building Complex Sentences
Tuesday, March 21 Library L 233-A Understanding and Using Verb Tense
Thursday, March 23 Bradley Hall Ballroom Subject-Verb Agreement
Tuesday, March 28 Library L 233-A Using Correct Punctuation
Tuesday, March 30 Bradley Hall Ballroom The Verb Phrase
Wednesday Afternoon Series: 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm, Bradley Hall Ballroom
Wednesday, March 1
Bradley Hall Ballroom Building Compound Sentences
Wednesday, March 8
Bradley Hall Ballroom Building Complex Sentences
Wednesday, March 15
Bradley Hall Ballroom Subject-Verb Agreement
Wednesday, March 22
Bradley Hall Ballroom The Verb Phrase
Tuesday Evening Series
Tuesday, Feb.14
5:30-6:50 pmG 233 Building Compound Sentences
Tuesday, Feb. 28
5:30-6:50 pmLibrary L 233-A Building Complex Sentences
Tuesday, March 21
7:00-8:20 pmG (Room TBD) Using Correct Punctuation
Tuesday, March 28
7:00-8:20 pmLibrary L 233-A Using Correct Punctuation
The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
[email protected] www.ncc.edu/writingcenter
Writing Center MLA Research and Documentation Workshops (1 point)
Topics include: Locating and Evaluating Sources
Integrating Sources into an Essay
Creating and Formatting a Works Cited List
Wednesday, April 5
w/Prof. D�Angelo
2:00 pm
�3:15 pmBradley Ballroom
Tuesday, April 18
w/Prof. Posillico
8:30 pm�9:50 pm
G Building (Room TBA)
Evening Activity Hour*Thursday, April 20
w/Prof. D�Angelo
11:30 am�to 12:45 pm
Bradley Ballroom
Thursday, April 27
w/Prof. D�Angelo
11:30 am�12:45 pm
Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday, May 2
w/Prof. Posillico
11:30 am�12:45 pm
Library L233A
Wednesday, May 3
w/Prof. D�Angelo
11:00 am�12:15 pm
Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday, May 9
w/Prof. Posillico
5:30 pm�6:50 pm
Library L233A
*Evening Activity Hour (Classes are canceled; check with your instructor.)
Seating is limited! Sign up now by calling or visiting the Writing Center.
The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
[email protected] www.ncc.edu/writingcenter
Academic Success Workshops and Learning Skills Workshops (1 point each)
NCC Center for Educational and Retention CounselingIt's �About Time�: Managing Time, Self, & College
February 7, 11:30am - 12:45pm - M206
February 14, 11:30am - 12:45pm - M206Being Successful in an Online Class
March 23, 11:30am -12:45pm - G149Learning Skills Workshops
It is recommended that students attend all four of the following)
(
Listening/Note-Taking
March 7, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M206Studying and Organizing For Classes
March 14, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M206Reading College Textbooks
March 21, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M206Test-Taking
March 28, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M206Managing Test Anxiety
April 18, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M206
April 25, 11:30am - 12:45pm Bldg. M20For questions, call 516-572-7141
CERC Office, Nassau Hall, M19
GRADING:
There are no final grades given in this class; student receive either
an S (�Satisfactory�) or U (�Unsatisfactory�). To pass the class,
students must:
Complete all assignments
Maintain a passing average on Quizzes, Online Exercises, and In-Class Writing assignments
Receive a passing score of at least �4� on the final essay and/or the portfolio.
SCHEDULE AND PROJECTED OUTLINE:
|
important dates: SPRING 2017 SEMESTER |
|
| Mon. 16 Jan. | Martin Luther King, Jr. � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed |
| Tue. 17 Jan. | Day, Evening & Distance Education classes begin |
| Fri.20 Jan. | Weekend College classes begin |
| Mon. 23 Jan. | Full, 1st half semester &
Distance Education classes last day drop/add; 1st half semester classes last day drop without a W grade |
| Mon. 6 Feb. | Full semester classes last day drop without a W grade |
| Tue. 14 Feb. | Evening Activity Hour: 5:30 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule |
| Fri. 17 Feb. | Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning after 5:01 p.m.) |
| Sat.-Thu. 18-23 Feb. | Classes do not meet |
| Mon. 20 Feb. | Presidents� Day � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed |
| Fri. 24 Feb. | Day classes do not meet; Evening classes meet on a regular schedule (classes beginning after 5:01 p.m.) |
| Fri. 10 March | 1st half semester classes last day automatic W |
| Mon. 20 March | 1st half semester classes end |
| Tue. 21 March | 2nd half semester classes begin; Evening Activity Hour: 7:00 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule |
| Wed. 22 March | 2nd half semester classes last day drop/add |
| Mon. 27 March | 2nd half semester classes last day drop without a W grade |
| Sat. 1 Apr. | Classes do not meet; MW � if necessary, WEEKEND COLLEGE classes will meet |
| Sun. 2 Apr. | Classes do not meet |
| Fri. 7 Apr. | Full semester classes last day automatic W |
| Mon.�Sun. 10-16 Apr. | Classes do not meet |
| Tue. 11 Apr. | Passover � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed |
| Fri. 14 April | Good Friday � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed |
| Tue. 18 April | Evening Activity Hour: 8:30 p.m. classes will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule |
| Wed. 3 May | Evening classes extended by 5 minutes for final exams |
| Mon. 8 May | 2nd half semester classes last
day automatic W; Evening classes extended by 5 minutes for final exams |
| Tue. 9 May | Evening classes extended by 5
minutes for final exams; Evening classes end |
| Wed. 10 May | ME � if necessary EVENING classes will meet if a Monday or Wednesday is being made up |
| Thu. 11 May | ME � if necessary, EVENING classes will meet if a Tuesday or Thursday is being made up |
| Sun. 14 May | Weekend College ends |
| Mon. 15 May | Day, 2nd half semester & Distance Education classes end |
|
NOTE: All dates subject to change. |
|
Note: All readings below are required, and must be completed by the session indicated; the only exceptions are those indicated with an asterisk (*), which are recommended additional readings or resources.
Readings from Steps for Writers: Sentences and Paragraphs to the Essay are identified below by chapter title as well as page numbers, e.g., �The Writing Process� (Eggers 2-8); readings from the Norton Online Handbook are identified by title and section number; e.g., �Sentence Fragments� (Norton S-2). Additional readings, including online texts or handouts, will also be assigned.
Red text indicates due dates or links to assignments; Blue text indicates links to assignments, resources, or online versions of texts. (Note: While every effort is made to verify the accuracy and usefulness of these links and their contents, no guarantees are made. Please notify me of any broken or outdated links at [email protected].)
Note: This schedule is subject to revision according to the instructor�s discretion, the academic calendar for the semester, school closings due to inclement weather or other reasons, and the progress of the class. Additions or changes will be announced in class, and they will also be posted here as well as on the class Announcements page.
| Readings and Assignments: | |
|
Tue., |
Day, Evening & Distance Education classes begin |
|
Wed., |
Course Introduction: Syllabus, texts, policies, assignments, web page |
|
Mon., |
Diagnostic Essay |
|
Wed., |
�To the Student� (Eggers xx-xxii), �Introduction: Visualizing the Paragraph in Context� (xxiii-xxv), and �The Writing Process� (2�8) |
|
Mon., |
Anne Lamott,
�Getting Started�
(Handout) The Norton Online Handbook and Online Exercises |
|
Wed., |
Anne Lamott, �Short Assignments,�
�Shitty First Drafts,� and
�Perfectionism� (Handout); �Writing and Correcting Sentences�: Fragments, Run-ons, and Comma Splices (Eggers 98�112) (See also, Online Grammar: Readings and Exercises) |
|
Mon., |
�Paragraph
Basics� (Eggers
9�26);
�Matching
Sentence Parts� (Eggers
116�129);
Essay 1 Due (Diagnostic Essay Revisions);
Sentence Elements,
Clauses,
Phrases; |
|
Wed., |
�Qualities
of Effective Paragraphs�
(Eggers
27�39);
�Revising Your Paragraphs�
(Eggers
89-97); Amy Tan, �Fish Cheeks� (.pdf - Handout) |
|
Mon., |
�Building Essays out of Paragraphs�
(Eggers
154�165); Gloria Naylor, �Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean?� (.pdf - Handout); �Subject-Verb Agreement� (Norton S-5), �Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement� (Norton S-6a) Online Exercises due: S-V Agreement Review, S-V Separated, Compound Subjects, Subject after Verb, Collective Nouns, Indefinite Pronouns, Who, That, Which |
|
Wed., |
�Revising and Correcting Your Essays� (Eggers 166�177) |
|
Mon., |
No classes: Winter Break |
|
Wed., |
No classes: Winter Break |
|
Mon., |
�Creating Varied Paragraphs�: Narration and Description
(Eggers
40�48); Jewelle L. Gomez, �The Event of Becoming� (.pdf - Handout); �Adjectives and Adverbs� (Norton W-5) Online Exercises due: Adjectives and Adverbs - 1, Adjectives and Adverbs - 2, Modifier Placement |
|
Wed., |
�Creating Varied Paragraphs�: Comparison and Contrast
(Eggers
48�53); Caroline Hwang, �The Good Daughter� (.pdf - Handout) *See also, some interesting comments about Hwang and �The Good Daughter� here. |
|
Mon., |
Laila Al-Marayati
and Semeen Issa, �An Identity Reduced to a Burka�; �Pronoun Reference� (Norton S-6b), �Pronoun Case� (Norton S-6c), �Verbs� (Norton S-4) *See also, Schmidgall, Gary. �A Counter-Veiling Manifesto.� (Rev. of Marnia Lazreg's Questioning the Veil: Open Letters to Muslim Women ). CUNY Matters Nov.-Dec. 2009: 19. Print. (also here in .pdf) Online Exercises due: Pronoun Reference, Pronoun Case Verb Tenses, Verb Forms, Active and Passive, Mood
In-class essay (practice): TBA |
|
Wed., |
�Creating Varied Paragraphs�: How-to and Process (Eggers 53�58) |
|
Mon., |
Yasmine Bahrani, �Racial
Identity in America: Can't We Just Be Ourselves?� (aka �Why Does My Race Matter?�)
(Handout); Appropriate Words - 1, Appropriate Words - 2, Precise Words Commonly Confused Words - 1, Commonly Confused Words - 2, Commonly Confused Words - 3 |
|
Wed., |
No class due to inclement weather |
|
Mon., |
�Words� (Norton W), especially �Appropriate Words� (W-1), �Precise Words� (W-2), and �Unnecessary Words� (W-4) Online Exercises due: Appropriate Words - 1, Appropriate Words - 2, Precise Words Commonly Confused Words - 1, Commonly Confused Words - 2, Commonly Confused Words - 3 |
|
Wed., |
|
|
Mon., |
�Creating
Varied Paragraphs�: Persuasion
(Eggers
67�75) �Punctuation� and
�Mechanics� (Norton
P-1 through
P-11) Online Exercises due:
Additional, optional exercises: *Commas: Independent Clauses, Commas: Introductory Words, Commas: Series, Commas: Nonrestrictive Clauses, Commas: Parenthetical, Commas: Quotations etc, Commas: Addresses & Dates *Semicolon: Independent Clauses, Semicolons: Series *Quotation Marks: Quotations, Quotation Marks: Titles, Double and Single Quotation Marks *Apostrophes: Possessives, Apostrophes: Contractions, Apostrophes: Possessives & Plurals *Capitals: Proper Nouns, , Capitals: Titles & Sentences *Italics: Titles, Italics: Non-English Words *Colons, Dashes, Parentheses, and Brackets |
|
Wed., |
Ben Mattlin, �Wheelchair Guys Are All Alike.� New York Times. 11 March 2012. Web (Handout) |
|
Mon., |
Ortiz Cofer, �The
Myth of the Latin Woman
� (.pdf - Handout) |
|
Wed., |
Review:
�Paragraph
Basics� (Eggers
9�26); In-Class Writing Assignment |
|
Mon., |
Staples, �Black
Men in Public Space� (,pdf - Handout) |
|
Wed., |
In-Class
Writing Assignment |
|
Mon., |
Essay 4 (In-class essay) Revisions Due
�Some Fine Points�
(Eggers)
In-Class
Writing Assignment: |
|
Wed., |
In-Class
Writing Assignment �Writing Under Pressure: Facing Writing Examinations� (Eggers 163�165) |
|
Mon., |
Portfolio
review:
Complete
portfolios
must be brought to class In-Class Writing: Practice Essay 1 |
|
Wed., |
In-Class Writing: Practice Essay 2 |
|
Mon., |
Final Exam (In-Class Essay): Portfolios due; Class meets in Y-A/B (Writing Center computer lab) |
|
Wed., |
Class does not meet |
|
Mon., |
Class does meet: Course wrap-up, Final conferences; End of Spring 2016 Day Classes |
TOPICS AND GENERAL ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS:
For each of the assigned essays and projects, a topic or list of topic choices will be provided. Your work must be on one of the assigned topics for that assignment or developed in consultation with the instructor, or it will receive a grade of zero (0). All work must be submitted on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period; late work will not be accepted (see above). Failure to bring the required essay will result in a zero for the assignment, without opportunity for revisions.
For each of the essays, select one of the topics to discuss in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined); and (unless otherwise indicated) avoid use of I or you throughout. Be sure to use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Remember that you are not summarizing the works, but responding to them in a critical manner. Be sure to include evidence or examples from the specific text(s) that you are writing about, but do not retell the story, and do not copy directly from the textbook or readings except when quoting.
Note:
Feel free to communicate any concerns or questions to me before the essays are due; I will be available to meet with any student who needs assistance or additional instruction. Speak to me before or after class or email me to set up an appointment during my office hours.
Diagnostic
Essay: Monday, 23 January
To be completed in class.
Select one of the following statements to discuss
in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully
on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an
appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and
have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis
statements must be underlined). This essay will be read and
returned, but will not receive a grade, nor will it affect your final average;
however, it should be kept as the first item in your portfolio.
You will have approximately one hour to complete this essay. (Use of �I� is
allowed for either choice.)
Topics:
1. Many students begin their college careers anxious about how a particular weakness, handicap, disadvantage, or �difference� will keep them from prospering academically and/or socially. Discuss one personal characteristic that you suppose will present challenges to your academic success and/or social contentment, and then discuss a realistic strategy that will help you work your way through or around these challenges.
2. Use the following as your thesis: I�m proud of being _______________________, but it�s not without its problems.
You should try to think of something you are genuinely proud of, but something that comes with complications as well. This is a personal narrative in a way, but the second half, about the problems, requires you to consider opposite sides of an issue.
Essay 1:
Diagnostic Essay Revision
Finished, typed draft due in class Monday, February 6.
Revision due Wednesday, February 15;
Second (optional) revision due date TBA.
Begin with the in-class paragraph you did on Monday, January 23, in response to one of the two prompts:
1. Many students begin their college careers anxious about how a particular weakness, handicap, disadvantage, or �difference� will keep them from prospering academically and/or socially. Discuss one personal characteristic that you suppose will present challenges to your academic success and/or social contentment, and then discuss a realistic strategy that will help you work your way through or around these challenges.
2. Use the following as your thesis: I�m proud of being _______________________, but it�s not without its problems.
You should try to think of something you are genuinely proud of, but something that comes with complications as well. This is a personal narrative in a way, but the second half, about the problems, requires you to consider opposite sides of an issue.
After reviewing your essay and my comments, expand and revise it into a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Remember to include details, evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. Your final essay should have an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. See �Building Essays out of Paragraphs� (Eggers 154�163).
All e
ssays, including drafts brought to class for peer review, must be typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab's Formatting and Style Guide or Standard MLA Format for Essays), including Your Name, Course and Section number, Instructor's Name, Date, and Word Count, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation.
Essay 2:
Finished, typed draft due Wednesday, February 15;
Revision due Wednesday, March 1;
Second (optional) revision due date TBA
Begin with the in-class paragraph you did on February 1, in response to one of the two prompts (Eggers 99):
Tell about a time you changed in some way. Explain in detail how
you changed and what caused the change to happen.
Think of two words that best describe you and explain how these qualities are exemplified in you.
Starting with the ideas you already have, spend at least ten minutes prewriting and expand the topic into a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Remember to include details, evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. Your final essay should have an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. See �Building Essays out of Paragraphs� (Eggers 154�163).
All essays, including preliminary drafts brought to class, must be typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted in order to receive credit. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab's Formatting and Style Guide or Standard MLA Format for Essays), including Your Name, Course and Section number, Instructor's Name, Date, and Word Count, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation.
In-class essay, Monday, March 6
In �An Identity Reduced to a Burka,� Laila Al-Marayati and Semeen Issa write, �The worth of a woman�any woman�should not be determined by the length of her skirt, but by the dedication, knowledge and skills she brings to the task at hand� and discuss how Westerners frequently make inaccurate, stereotypical assumptions about Muslim women based on the way that they dress. Discuss a time when you were misjudged or stereotyped based on your attire, and describe both the actual event and its consequences.
After reading the above prompt, compose a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Be sure your essay directly answers the prompt! Also, remember to include evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. You may include your own ideas or examples or evidence from the texts we have read, but remember that you are not summarizing the essay, and remember to incorporate sources correctly and use appropriate use signal phrases.
Essays must be neatly printed or written legibly in the provided bluebooks, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. You have approximately 45 minutes to complete this essay, so plan accordingly.
Essay
4:
In-class prewriting, Wednesday, April 5
Typed, Finished Typed
�Draft� due
Monday, April 25.
Select one of the following topics to discuss in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Whichever topic you select, be sure your essay directly answers the prompt! Also, remember to include evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. You may include your own ideas or examples or evidence from the text (or texts), but remember that you are not summarizing the essay, and remember to incorporate sources correctly and use appropriate use signal phrases.
Essays must typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted in order to receive credit. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab's Formatting and Style Guide or Standard MLA Format for Essays), including Your Name, Course and Section number, Instructor's Name, Date, and Word Count, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation.
Topic choices:
Personal experiences help many begin to gain a sense of who they are and who
they want to be. Likewise, experiences can also make us aware of parts of
ourselves that we don�t like, and teach or remind us who we don�t want to be.
Write an essay in which you discuss how you came to be aware of a part of
yourself that you don�t like, something you have decided you don�t want to
be. What led to this realization and how have you worked or how will you work
to change this part of yourself?
Cultural identity and belonging is significant to one�s sense of self. Write an
essay in which you discuss how belonging to a particular culture has
contributed, positively or negatively, to who you are as a person.
Who we are often depends on where we are. Many times, a living environment, a neighborhood, a school, a city, etc. can make a significant impact on who we are as individuals. Write an essay in which you describe how a particular place has impacted your identity in some specific way.
Practice Essay 1 (In-Class Essay):
Monday, 1 May
Select one of the following topics to discuss in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Whichever topic you select, be sure your essay directly answers the prompt! Also, remember to include evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. You may include your own ideas or examples or evidence from the text (or texts), but remember that you are not summarizing the essay, and remember to incorporate sources correctly and use appropriate use signal phrases.
Essays must be neatly printed in the provided bluebooks or typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted in order to receive credit. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab's Formatting and Style Guide or Standard MLA Format for Essays), including Your Name, Course and Section number, Instructor's Name, Date, and Word Count, either on the bluebook cover or in the upper left corner of typed essays, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation.
Topics TBA
Practice Essay 2 (In-Class Essay):
Wednesday, 3 May
Select one of the following topics to discuss in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; and have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined) and use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Whichever topic you select, be sure your essay directly answers the prompt! Also, remember to include evidence, examples, or other support for your assertions; the more support you include, the stronger and more convincing your essay will be. You may include your own ideas or examples or evidence from the text (or texts), but remember that you are not summarizing the essay, and remember to incorporate sources correctly and use appropriate use signal phrases.
Essays must be neatly printed in the provided bluebooks or typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted in order to receive credit. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab's Formatting and Style Guide or Standard MLA Format for Essays), including Your Name, Course and Section number, Instructor's Name, Date, and Word Count, either on the bluebook cover or in the upper left corner of typed essays, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation.
Topics TBA
Final Exam (In-Class Essay):
Monday, 8 May
Class meets in Y-A/B
Topics TBA
Last Revised: Friday, 5 May 2017
Site maintained by Brian T. Murphy
Main page:
www.Brian-T-Murphy.com