English 120-L04#: Expository Writing Fall 2016 Tuesday/Fridays: Room C101 HNEMAIL: mh985@hunter.cuny.edu OFFICE: 1238 HW INSTRUCTOR: Megan Hanson OFFICE HOURS: T/F 1:00 – 2:00 OFFICE PHONE: 772-5114

The Individual and the American Dream

“Why should nor we also enjoy an original relation to the universe?. . . America is a poem in our eyes. . . .”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Course Goals:

The goals of English 120 are to promote students’ abilities to do the following:

Develop nuanced and persuasive research questions and thesis statements Identify, evaluate, and effectively incorporate a variety of sources to explore

the research question and thesis statement Apply effective evidence to academic writing situations Organize arguments logically and effectively Choose effective style and grammar for academic audiences Incorporate peer and instructor feedback Reflect on the writing and revision process

In addition, our goal is to explore the ideological origins of the "American Dream." How has this collective ideal been embedded into the American character? While America has undergone social and industrial developments as a country, what enduring qualities has allowed this ideal to adapt to the shifting trends in American culture? What consequences has it had for the 21st century?

We will discuss close reading of essays, articles, speeches, letters, advertisements or any other excerpts of public and private expressions of American voices. In doing so, we are examining the individual's role in interpreting cultural ideals. With particular attention to personal narrative and the development of individual voice, we can trace the foundational roots of the American imagination. By storytelling our private experiences, we participate in a collective American culture that is sensitive to shifting social and historical contexts. How do our personal narratives reflect our contexts; how much do they contribute to the spread of culture? The large, mysterious question: Do our stories have the power to kill or uphold a cultural ideal?

Required Textbooks:

(Can be purchased from Hunter College Bookstore, Shakespeare & Co. or online):

Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russell Durst. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings, 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2015. (The edition is important. Get the 3rd edition.) ISBN: 978-0393937510. Price: $50.00.

1

Bullock, Richard and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook, 2 nd ed. ISBN-13: 978-0-393-93580-6. Price: $25 ($12.50 with They Say/I Say)

These two books can be purchased together as a bundle for $50 under the following ISBN: 978-0-393-27996-2. (Editions and prices are subject to change.)

One more book may be announced on Tuesday, 8/30

Course Requirements:

Our explorations of individual voice, as well as practices in close reading and critical thinking, will culminate in a research paper of 8-10 pages following MLA citation formatting, which will serve as the final for this course. On our way to this goal, however, we will maintain exploratory conversations/comments/thoughts via Blackboard (BB) or blog. For participation, we will post a link to a source (article, movie, blog, etc) with a short summary (2 or 3) sentences by every Monday by 5 P.M. To receive full credit for each Blackboard response, please comment on at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Along with daily participation and in-class reading and writing exercises, students are required to submit a final portfolio containing: a pre-semester reading response, a 10-page documented research paper with a Work Cited page and several drafts, an annotated bibliography, a post-semester reading response, and a final reflective portfolio essay. Please keep all of your work throughout the semester saved both digitally and as a hardcopy.

Grading Policy:

Class participation 15%Group work, BB, and drafts 15%Essay #1 15%Essay #2 AND/OR annotated bibliography 15%Final research paper 30%Final portfolio essay with revised reading response 10%

Course Policies:

Attendance/Tardiness: If you miss more than three days of class (excused or otherwise), your final grade will be substantially reduced. Any student who misses more than six class sessions for any reason will receive an “F.” When absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and obtain the necessary information from another student. Please do not be late. If consistent lateness is a problem, your final grade will be reduced. If you are more than fifteen minutes late to class, this will count as an unexcused absence.

Late work: All homework and essays should be ready to be handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. If extenuating circumstances arise, please contact me as soon as possible – the sooner the better, including any doubts or concerns about future projects. All formal

2

writing assignments must be typed, double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and in 12 point Times New Roman font.

Electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods, etc. are prohibited. Computers/laptops/iPads or other similar tablets are permitted for notetaking, etc., only by the permission of the teacher. This counts as the first warning. After a second warning, the third violation of this policy will result in dismissal from the classroom and a noted Absence from that day’s class.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as word-for-word copying without acknowledgment of the language or ideas of another writer. Obviously, having another person write or dictate all or part of one’s composition is forbidden. In addition, a writer should copy no printed passage, no matter how brief, without acknowledging its source and either placing it in quotation marks or setting it aside as a blocked quotation. This applies to even the briefest of phrases if they are truly individual and distinctive.

Hunter College Academic Integrity Statement: Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.

Hunter College Academic Accommodation Statement: In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/or Learning) consult the Office of ACCESSability located in Room 1214B East to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call (212-772-4857) /TTY (212-650-3230).

************************************************************************

How to be successful in this class:

1. Come to class on time and prepared to participate. Participation includes having assignments completed, bringing needed materials, contributing to discussions in a positive manner, and working on what is assigned during the class period.

2. Keep this syllabus and any changes made to it on hand. Know when writing assignments are due. Know when reading should be completed.

3. Keep all of your work. Do not throw anything away.

4. Ask questions. It is your responsibility to find out what you need to know in order to be successful in your academic endeavors, as well as in the other areas of your life. Check the class Blackboard site at least once a week.

3

If any problems should arise, you may contact me--or I may contact you--to discuss them. If a problem seems too difficult for us to resolve, mediation is available through the English Department.

Course Schedule:

*This schedule is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. All changes will be announced in class.

**All page numbers refer to They Say, I Say With Readings; BB refers to Blackboard.

Date Topic Readings Due Assignments Due

Friday

8/26

Course Introductions, Syllabus,

Handout reading from BB about American Dream

Tuesday

8/30

Discuss Ramos - How many ways to read?

Define “American Dream”

Ramos, “Building a Culture of Solidarity”

Pre-Semester Reading Response on Ramos article

Friday

9/2

Let’s demystify “academic writing”

Visual rhetoric discussion: persuade, entertain, inform?

Irvin, “What is Academic Writing?” (BB)

Tuesday

9/6

Visual Rhetoric Rhetorical Analysis guide; rhetorical analysis sample student paper

Friday

9/9

Junot Diaz

Chapter 2, “The Art of Summarizing”

Junot Diaz interview at the Strand

Tuesday

9/13

Discuss Graff and Rose

How do we plan our writing?

Preface and Introduction (xviii-14), Chapter 19 opening, (539-541)

Krugman “Confronting Inequality” (561-580)

Blog post by Tuesday 9 AM.

Write a 3-5 paragraph response to the readings:

1) Summarize both sides

4

King, “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” (610-617)

Roemer, “America Remains the World’s Beacon of Success” (618-622)

of the argument, Does the American Dream still exist? as presented by Krugman, King and Roemer

2) What is the strongest argument and why?

3)What is your personal response/thought to the argument

Friday

9/16

Discuss sample paper; “Asking a Research Question” (BB) ;“Choosing a Topic” (BB)

Group work: create a reverse-outline

Scholarly Sources: “How Do I find Sources” (BB); One Perfect Source?” (BB)

Sample research paper

Chapter 4: “3 Ways to Respond” (55-67)

Essay #1 Assignment Handed Out The Rhetorical Analysis, along with Carroll’s Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis

Tuesday

9/20

Nature of Intelligence/Different Kinds of Intelligence: Intellectual Pluralism

Watch debate Buckley v. Baldwin

Graff, “Hidden Intellectualism” (264-271)

Rose, “Blue Collar Brilliance” (272 – 284)

Thompson, “Smarter Than You Think” (346-360)

Post 3 possible research topics by Tuesday 9 A.M.

Weekly post of a source

Friday

9/23

Meet in Library Room: E404

Meet Philip Swan our Librarian

Jones, “Finding the Good Argument” (BB)

5

Tuesday

9/27

GUEST; maintaining creativity in academic writing; the role of “I”; the nature of writing: Public or Private?

Chapter 9: “Academic Writing Doesn’t Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice” (121-128)

Updated: Chapter 1 of Richard Dawkin’s The Selfish Gene

Rough draft of 3 possible Research Paper Questions (posted online)

Friday

9/30

Peer Editing Workshop

Sign up for Individual Conferences

10:20 – 2:00

Essay #1 ROUGH DRAFT DUE

Tuesday

10/4

No Class Weekly blog post: Using Graff and Rose, write 3-5 paragraphs discussing one kind of non-academic intelligence you possess, its characteristics, and how you use it.

Friday

10/7

Individual Conferences Essay #1 FINAL DUE on turnitin.com

Tuesday

10/11

No Class

Friday

10/14

Writing with Social Media

Chapter 12 and 13 (163-172):

Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” (313-329)

Gladwell, “Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted” (399-415)

Cullington, “Does Texting

1. Create a fake Twitter account

2. Post your Essay 1 using 10 - 15 tweets (1400 – 2000 characters)Or Instagram account and post minimum of 1400 – 2000 characters

6

Affect Writing” (361-371) (max is 2200)3. Post the link

Tuesday

10/18

Meet in Library with Philip Swan

Rosenberg, “Reading Games: Strategies for Reading Scholarly Sources” (BB)

Guide on the Side Tutorial (BB)

Post 3 Revised Research Questions

Assigned: Essay #2

Weekly post of a source

Friday

10/21

MLA Citation Bootcamp

MLA Library Tutorial (BB)

Stedman, “Annoying Ways People Use Sources” (BB)

Read articles applying BEAM Method

Bring an article you have found on your topic and come prepared to summarize it and apply the BEAM method

Using Sources Quoting and Paraphrasing “How to Use a Source: The BEAM Method” (BB)

Tuesday

10/25

MLA Bootcamp Day 2;

Synthesis

Observe how the chapter introductions synthesize the sources on the issue and then read Pollan, Shapin, Maxfield, and Foer preparing to synthesize them in class

A working bibliography in MLA format of your sources SO FAR

Weekly post of a source

Friday

10/28

Annotated Bibliography

Chapter 14: “Reading for the Conversation” (173-183)

Chapter introductions to 17 (297-298) and 19 (539-541)

7

Tuesday

11/1

Peer Review Workshop

Responding to Different Views

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Crack-Up”

TBA

Essay #2 due

Bring finalized research questions and working annotated bibliography

Weekly post of a source

Friday

11/4

The Opposition Chapter 6: “Planting a Naysayer in Your Text” (78-90)

Chapter 5: “Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say” (68-75)

Ungar and “The New Liberal Arts”

Final Annotated Bibliography due

Tuesday

11/8

Peer Workshop of Outlines

Arranging Longer Essays

Methods of Arrangement (BB)

Chapter 8: “Connecting the Parts” (105-118)

Revised Research Question and Outline for Research Paper

Weekly post of a source

Friday

11/11

Individual Conferences

10:20 – 2:00

Bring research question, outline, and Annotated bibliography

Tuesday

11/15

Peer Review and Revision Workshop

Rough Draft of Research Paper

Weekly post of source

8

Friday

11/18

Style, Voice, and the Revision Process;

Giles, “Reflective Writing and the Revision Process” (BB)

Chapter 11: “Using the Templates to Revise” (139-159)

Tuesday

11/22

Writing about Writing; Reflection;

DUE: Revised Draft of Research Paper

Weekly post of a source

Friday

11/25

No Class

Tuesday

11/29

Informal Presentations Final Draft of Research Paper

Weekly post of a source

Friday

12/2

Informal Presentations Assigned in class: Reflective Essay

Tuesday

12/6

Reflecting on The Writing Process; Metacommentary, metacognition; Critical Reading and Reflecting

Chapter 10: “The Art of Metacommentary” (129-136)

Weekly post of a source

Friday12/9

Peer Review and Revision Workshop

Draft of Reflective Essay

Tuesday12/13

Reading DayNo Class

Re-read Ramos Revision of Pre-Semester Reading Response

Friday12/16

Watch David Foster Wallace speech

David Foster Wallace, “This is Water”

Final Reflective Essay

Draft of final portfolio

Tuesday12/20

Turn in Portfolios! Final Portfolio

9

10