ENGL1010 English Composition 1
Boylan Hall 3113: Tues, Thurs 8:00 - 9:15am Prof. Catherine Champney
Email: catherine.champney@brooklyn.cuny.edu Phone Number: (718) 951-5195
Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:00 - 1:00pm or by appointment
“I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” - excerpt from Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov
This class is an introduction to college-level composition. Our focus is to develop strategies and practice analytical reading and writing about texts. To do this we will look at a variety of readings and complete various writing assignments as well as an in-class midterm and department-wide final exam. Students will write both in and outside of class, with an emphasis on drafting and revision. We will focus primarily on the following: reading critically and writing analytically; developing and supporting theses and arguments; summarizing, paraphrasing, and synthesizing information from a variety of sources; structuring persuasive and cohesive essays; incorporating and integrating evidence into writing using MLA format; editing and revising; using appropriate conventions of language, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Course Goals and Objectives
- Read, think, and write critically
- Understand how language operates
- Express ideas–both orally and in writing–correctly, cogently,
persuasively, and in conformity with the conventions of the
discipline
- Conduct academic research and build a foundation for
identifying and citing academic source material
Course Reading Materials
Becoming: Obama, Michelle
Course Packet (please print packet/readings and bring them to
class)
Attendance / Class Expectations
You are allowed 2 absences without penalty
Each additional absence above 2 will lower your grade by 5
points (90 to 85, 85 to 80, etc.). Also, if you miss a quiz because of an absence, you cannot make up that quiz.
Please arrive on time for class! Arriving later than 15 minutes without letting me know is equal to an absence. I live far from BC and rely on the MTA, so if you are going to be late, email me the situation and I will most likely understand. However, if this happens consistently, it will become a problem.
No AirPods, no cell phones, and absolutely no JUULing in
class!
Academic Integrity:
The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for policy implementation can be found at www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member must report the violation.
Disabilities:
In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at (718) 951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services, please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.
Grade Breakdown + Assignments
Discussion Questions |
5pts |
Quizzes |
10pts |
Summaries (2) |
10pts |
Personal Narrative |
10pts |
Analytical Essay |
15pts |
Compare + Contrast Essay |
15pts |
Midterm Essay Exam |
15pts |
Final Exam |
20pts |
Total: |
100pts |
Note: Essays are to be submitted via email before the time stated on the syllabus. Late work will result in a 5pt grade deduction per day.
Assignments will be distributed and discussed in class. Quizzes will occur at the beginning of class (late arrivals will not receive extra time to complete the quiz). Quizzes are at random - there will be 12 throughout the semester, with the lowest 2 grades dropped.
Final Exam
English 1010 Students must take a final exam as instructed by the department. This exam is based on responses to two pieces of writing: one 5-7 page essay, distributed one week before the end of the term, and a second 1-2 page piece, distributed along with the question on the day of the exam. We will discuss the test format and how to best prepare in class!
Non-attendance Because of Religious Beliefs:
Brooklyn College’s statement on non-attendance because of religious belief is located on page 66 of the Brooklyn College Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/off_registrar/2017-2018_Undergraduate_ Bulletin.pdf
Death and Bereavement Policy:
Brooklyn College’s statement on death / bereavement: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/about/initiatives/policies/bereavement.php
NOTE: English 1010 is an Academic Foundations course. Brooklyn College’s policy on withdrawing from English 1010 is as follows:
Students are not permitted at any time to delete, drop, or withdraw from an assigned Academic Foundations course without obtaining permission of the academic department involved and consulting the Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success. Please do not advise English 1010 students to withdraw if they are failing the course. Withdrawals are approved rarely. Students must seek departmental and CAASS permission to withdraw.The full academic calendar, including many other important dates, and the undergraduate final exam “grid” are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Course Schedule:
Tuesday, 8/27: Introduction / Becoming; O bama, Michelle |
Thursday, 8/29: Becoming; Obama, Michelle |
Tuesday, 9/3: First Draft Personal Narrative Due |
Thursday, 9/5: Monday Schedule |
Tuesday, 9/10: Final Draft Personal Narrative Due / Soloman, Akiba; Thugs. Students... |
Thursday, 9/12: Confederate Memorials as Instruments of Racial Terror; Staples, Brent Summary 1 (in-class) |
Tuesday, 9/17: The End of History?; Furgurson, Ernest |
Thursday, 9/19: Presentations / Summary 2 Due |
Tuesday,9/24:AModestProposal;S wift,Jonathan |
Thursday, 9/26: Consider the Lobster; Foster Wallace, David |
Tuesday, 10/1: No Class |
Thursday, 10/3: Analytical Essay Draft 1 Due |
Tuesday, 10/8: No Class |
Thursday, 10/10: Peer Review Worksheet Due |
Tuesday,10/15:LetterfromaBirminghamJail;K ing,MartinLutherJr. |
Thursday, 10/17: Letter from a Birmingham Jail; King, Martin Luther Jr. (cont.) |
Tuesday, 10/22: Analytical Essay Final Draft Due |
Thursday, 10/24: Is Google Making Us Stupid; C arr, Nicholas |
Tuesday, 10/29: Twitterholics Anonymous; Eltahawy, Mona; Midterm Preparation |
Thursday, 10/31: Midterm Exam |
Tuesday, 11/5: Leave Your Name at the Border; M unoz, Manuel |
Thursday, 11/7: Leave Your Name at the Border; Munoz, Manuel (cont.) |
Tuesday, 11/12: How Tough Is It to Change a Culture of Sexual Harassment? Ask Women at Ford; C hira, Susan and Einhorn, Catrin |
Thursday, 11/14: First Draft C+C Essay Due / Peer Workshop |
Tuesday, 11/19: Second Draft C+C Essay Due |
Thursday, 11/21: The Careless Language of Sexual Violence; Gay, Roxane |
Tuesday, 11/26: Jefferson, Thomas; The Declaration of Independence |
Thursday, 11/28: No Class |
Tuesday, 12/3: C+C Essay Final Due |
Thursday, 12/5: Korten, Tristram; I n Florida, Officials Ban Term Climate Change |
Tuesday, 12/10: Final Exam Review |
Thursday, 12/12: Final Exam Review |
FINAL EXAM TBD |
FINAL EXAM TBD |
All assignments must be submitted by 8:00amEST in-person in a hard-copy. For exceptions to this, you must email me at least 3 days in advance. I f you are absent on the due date, you must still email the assigned work or you will receive a late grade.
This syllabus is subject to change throughout the semester. I will let you know of changes via email, as well as update on this guide.