Course Description:
This course serves as an introduction to expository writing and text analysis. Through readings on race,gender and sexuality, technology, and the environment, this course aims to understand how identity and the performance of everyday life shape one’s relationship to the world and others. These readings will serve as an entry point for analysis and critical thinking that we will explore through writing. Our in-class discussions welcome stories about your experience that are relevant to course material.
Goals and Objectives:
Through an emphasis on critical thinking, students will become closer readers of texts more broadly -- both on paper and the world around them. Students will have a better understanding of how language operates, through essays, poems, videos, visual art, and audio recordings. With in-class discussion and essay assignments, students will be able to better express their ideas orally as well as in writing, to lay a foundation for the rest of their academic career. Through honing our writing skills, we aim to write with persuasion and in truth.
Michelle Obama, Becoming
All other readings will be posted on blackboard.
Attendance & Punctuality: Arriving more than 20 minutes late counts as an absence. If you are absent more than three times, half a letter grade will be taken from your overall course grade. If you miss more than four classes, you will receive no credit for participation.
Participation: Participation includes completing the assigned reading, contributing to class discussion through listening and responding to classmates or the instructor, bringing required materials to class, and engaging in peer review and group activities. Students must also make an appointment to conference individually with the instructor about one essay throughout the semester.
NOTE: Phones must be silenced and put away during class. I would prefer for students to take notes on paper, as I believe handwriting sinks into your brain better, but talk to me individually if you need to take notes or access the reading electronically.
Reading: Class discussion is a critical element of this course, and participation is essential in creating a solid learning community. Students are expected to have closely read and be ready to discuss all readings on the day they are assigned. Bring the assigned reading to every class.
Writing: Students will be assigned the following: personal narrative (750-1000 words), two summaries (250-500 words each), argumentative essay (1000-1250 words), and a compare and contrast essay
(1000-1250 words). Students will revise each of these essays. These essays must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font (Times, Arial, or Calibri, please!) and formatted with one-inch margins. Essays are due at the beginning of class, printed. Additionally, students will have an in-class essay exam. Students will be asked to complete other assignments, such as journal entries, in-class writing, and reading responses.
Completion of the LOOP Workshop: All students in English 1010 will complete the required Brooklyn College library orientation, which will introduce them to the services and resources of the library, including access to and ethical use of its print and electronic resources.
Final exam: English 1010 students must take a final exam. The 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. The exam will count for 20% of the final grade for the class. I will thoroughly discuss the test format during class.
Grading: The Brooklyn College policy on grading for English 1010 is as follows: Grades for English 1010 are: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, NC or F. Note that the minimum passing grade is C-. Students who have completed all the course work but are not yet writing at the college level will receive a grade of NC; students who have not completed the coursework will receive a grade of F. Students who do not pass English 1010 must repeat it the following semester. The course may not be taken more than three times; students who receive three grades of F, NC and/or WU may be dismissed from the college.
NOTE: Essays turned in late will be penalized half a letter grade for each class meeting they are late. Late work will not be accepted after two weeks have passed from the original due date. If students miss a class during which an essay is to be submitted, students are still responsible for submitting (e-mailing) the essay on the same day and bringing a hard copy of it the next time they attend class.
Personal Narrative: 10 % Summaries: 10%
Argumentative Essay: 15% Compare and Contrast: 15% In-class essay: 10%
Other Assignments: 10%
This includes take-home assignments, in-class writing, and quizzes.
This includes attendance, promptness, participation in class discussions and group work, etc.
Academic Integrity: Brooklyn College's statement on plagiarism is as follows: 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 implementing that policy can be found at this site: http://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.
Disability Services: The following statement in reference to the Center for Student Disability Services: 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 me with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with me.
Reference to the Student Bereavement Policy http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/off_registrar/2018-2019_Undergraduate_Bulletin.pdf.
Reference to the state law regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs (p. 66 in the
Undergraduate Bulletin or p. 42 of the Graduate Bulletin).
Tuesday, August 27 - First day of Fall 2019 classes Monday, September 2 - Last day to add a course
Thursday, September 5 - Conversion Day (classes follow a Monday Schedule) Wednesday, October 16 - Conversion Day (classes follow a Monday Schedule) Tuesday, November 5 - Last day to withdraw from a Fall course with a “W” grade Friday, December 13 - Reading Day
Saturday, December 14 - Final Examinations Begin
Friday, December 20 Final Examinations End / End of Fall Semester
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 syllabus may be subject to revision, as we as a class may need more or less time on a given subject or assignment. Students will always be notified in advance of changes to the syllabus.
English 1010 Fall 2019
3 hours and conference; 3 credits
Instructor: Hannah Treasure
0000 Boylan / 951-5195
htreasure16@gmail.com
Office Hours: Mon, 2:00-3:00pm, or by appointment
The syllabus may be subject to revision, as we as a class may need more or less time on a given subject or assignment. Students will always be notified in advance of changes to the syllabus.
Wed. Aug. 28th, Week 1: Introduction to the class: who are we, goals, requirements, etc. Go over syllabus. In-class diagnostic writing assignment.
Mon. Sept. 2nd, Week 2: Summarizing. Reading: Obama, Becoming: Preface, Chapters 1, 3, and 4.
Wed. Sept. 4th, Week 2: Continued summarizing practice. In-class writing assignment: song exercise. Reading: Obama, Becoming: Chapters 6, 8, 9, and 11.
Mon. Sept. 9th, Week 3: Summary #1 due. In-class writing assignment: photo exercise. Reading: Obama, Becoming: Chapters 14, 16, and 17.
Wed. Sept. 11th, Week 3: Last Becoming class. Reading: Ask your assigned partner one question about the reading over email, and respond to their question. Be ready to share your email dialogue in class.
Reading: St. Felix, “Michelle Obama’s New Reign on Soft Power.”
Mon. Sept. 16th, Week 4: Defining a personal narrative structure. In-class reading: Marshall, “From
Wed. Sept. 18th, Week 4: Close reading and annotation discussion. Continued discussion on the personal narrative. List poem exercise. Reading: Vuong, “A Letter to My Mother That She Will Never
Mon. Sept. 23rd, Week 5: Personal Narrative essay due. In-class workshop revisions.
Wed. Sept. 25th, Week 5: Review summarizing and structure of a summary essay. Reading: Solnit, “Men Explain Things to Me.” Assignment: Every three paragraphs, write a one sentence summary of what you’ve just read.
Mon. Sept. 30th, Week 6: Summary, versus paraphrase, versus quotations. In-class exercise with these three. Discuss plagiarism. Reading: Lorde, “The Fourth of July.”
Wed. Oct. 2nd, Week 6: Summary #2 (of Gay’s essay) due, along with one question you have about the text. Reading: Gay, “The Careless Language of Sexual Violence.”
Mon. Oct. 7th, Week 7: In-class writing exercise, building your own New York inspired by the reading. Reading: Whitehead, “C ity Limits.”
Wed. Oct. 9th, Week 7: New York Map writing assignment due. Introduce argumentative essay. King, “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
Mon. Oct. 14th, Week 8: Continued discussion on argumentative essays. Reading: Coates, “The Case for
Wed. Oct. 16th, Week 8: Practice with evidence and citations, using Coates. Revisit “The Case for
Reparations” to prepare for discussion.
Mon. Oct. 21st, Week 9: Argumentative essay due. LIBRARY LOOP WORKSHOP DAY.
Wed. Oct. 23rd, Week 9: In-class screening: 13th (documentary).
Mon. Oct. 28th, Week 10: In-class writing and discussion on 13th.
Wed. Oct. 30th, Week 10: Texts in conversation. In-class read Jordan, “A Poem About My Rights,” and
Giovanni, “Allowables.” Reading: Hasselstrom, “A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun.”
Mon. Nov. 4th, Week 11: In-class debate using the two assigned texts. Reading: Furgurson, “The End of
History?” and Staples, “Confederate Monuments as Instruments of Terror.”
Wed. Nov. 6th, Week 11: Introduce Compare / Contrast essay.
Mon. Nov. 11th, Week 12: Reading: Wallace, “Consider the Lobster.”
Wed. Nov. 13th, Week 12: Reading: Eighner, “Dumpster Diving.”
Mon. Nov. 18th, Week 13: In-class exercise with the Wallace and Eighner pieces. Reading: revisit and add to your annotations of both pieces with the knowledge that they will be in conversation together.
Wed. Nov. 20th, Week 13: First draft of Compare / Contrast essay due. In-class workshop in small groups.
Mon. Nov. 25th, Week 14: Google poems. Reading: Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”
Wed. Nov. 27th, Week 14: Reading: Freakonomics Podcast, “How Big is My Penis? (And Other Things
Mon. Dec. 2nd, Week 15: Final draft of Compare / Contrast essay due. Review MLA formatting for embedded quotes and citations.
Wed. Dec. 4th, Week 15: Close reading exercise.
Wed. Dec. 12th, Week 16: Discussion on practice essay and upcoming final essay. Review.
