Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to develop and enhance a student’s college writing. Students completing this course will have mastered the fundamentals of college-level reading and writing, including: analyzing, identifying a thesis, summarizing, and comparing/contrasting. We will be reading texts on a variety of topics of social and cultural concern with a focus on the theme of identity. We will be discussing each and developing thesis-driven responses that follow the conventions of citation and documentation.
Required Materials:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
link
Course Requirements:
Attendance and Participation (10%):
In order to learn, you must show up! That means arriving on time, with the necessary materials, and being well-prepared for class. If you miss more than four classes, you will receive no credit for participation. Please do not be late. Two latenesses count as one absence. Arriving more than 10 minutes late counts as an absence. A pattern of lateness will affect your grade.
Participation includes completing and commenting on 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.
Online responses (10%)
In addition to the in-class and take-home essays, students will be expected to contribute at least 3 posts on the class Blackboard page. If you are having trouble accessing Blackboard, let me know immediately.
Essays (60%)
Essay 1(Personal narrative, 1st & 2nd draft) – 10%
You will be asked to write a narrative about a life experience you’ve had, centered on a single theme (to be workshopped and decided in class).
Essay 2 (Comparative essay) – 15%
This essay will compare the arguments between two texts we have covered in class, each focusing on similar topics.
Essay 3 (Argumentative essay) – 15%
You will write an argumentative response to one of the texts we cover toward the end of the course.
2 in-class essays responding to short texts and prompts – 20%
Twice throughout the semester I will assign you a short text, which we will discuss and analyze together in class, and you will write a response to a prompt attached to another very short text (to be distributed in the following class).
Final Exam (20%):
The final exam will take place on (Date TBA).
Plagiarism
The CUNY Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as “the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own.” The following are some examples of plagiarism, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:
- Copying another person’s actual works without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source.
- Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source.
- Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source.
- Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.
Please pay close attention to these rules. For more information about the policy, visit http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If you have any doubts about whether you might be plagiarizing, please ask me before handing in your essay.
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/2018-2019_Undergraduate_Bulletin.pdf
Student Bereavement Policy: Brooklyn College’s statement on non-attendance because of religious belief is located here: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/about/initiatives/policies/bereavement.php
Important Dates
Syllabus, Fall 2018 (TBA)
English 1010 MW5: Composition [M/W]
Instructor: Bachi Ayala
Email: bc.bachi9@gmail.com
Office: 2311B (Adjunct’s Office)
Office Hours: Thursday 3:30 – 4:30 or by appointment
**Syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor**
Course Schedule
Be sure to check in with a classmate in the event that you miss class.
Week 1:
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Mon. 8/27 – |
Course Introductions/Syllabus Review Diagnostic Essay
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Wed. 8/29 – |
Close-reading activity |
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Week 2: |
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Mon. 9/3 –
Wed. 9/5 – |
College Closed
Americanah, Chapters 1-4, 6, 8
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Week 3: |
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Mon. 9/10 –
Wed. 9/ 12 – |
No Classes
Americanah, Chapters 9, 11-12, 14-16, 17 (pgs. 213-224), 18 (pgs. 235-243).
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Week 4: |
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Mon. 9/17 –
Wed. 9/19 – |
Americanah Chapters 20, 23, 30-31, 42-45. first draft of Essay 1 due
No class |
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Week 5: |
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Mon. 9/24 –
Wed. 9/26 – |
R. Rodriguez, “The Achievement of Desire.”
N. Mairs, “On Being a Cripple.” Essay 1 due. |
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Week 6: |
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Mon. 10/1 –
Wed. 10/3 – |
Taylor, “Against School.”
Furgurson, “The End of History.” Staples, “Confederate Memorials as ‘Racial Terror.’” |
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Week 7: |
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Mon. 10/8 –
Wed. 10/10 –
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College Closed
Morris, “Liar, Liar Pants on Fire.” Sontag, “Regarding the Pain of Others.” |
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Week 8: |
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Mon. 10/15 –
Wed. 10/17 – |
Slater, “The Trouble with Self-Esteem.” Meltzer, “The Last Feminist.”
Schwarz, “The Tyranny of Choice.”
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Week 9: |
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Mon. 10/22 –
Wed. 10/24 – |
First draft of Essay 2 due, peer review
Orwell, “Politics and the English Language.” |
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Week 10: |
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Mon. 10/29 –
Wed. 10/31 –
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McWhorter, “Thick of Tongue.”
J. Swift, “A Modest Proposal.” Essay 2 due
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Week 11: |
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Mon. 11/5 –
Wed. 11/7 – |
Close reading (short text will be distributed in class)
In-class writing
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Week 12: |
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Mon. 11/12 –
Wed. 11/14 – |
Appiah, “The Case for Contamination.”
S. Turkle, “From Alone Together.” |
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Week 13: |
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Mon. 11/19 –
Wed. 11/21 – |
L. Chaudry, “Mirror, Mirror on the Web.” First draft of Essay 3 due
M. Crawford, “The Case for Working with Your Hands.”
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Week 14: |
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Mon. 11/26 –
Wed. 11/28 – |
D.F. Wallace, “Consider the Lobster.”
A. Chua, “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior.” |
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Week 15: |
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Mon. 12/3 –
Wed. 12/5 – |
Essay 3 due
In-class writing
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Week 16: |
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Mon. 12/10 –
Wed. 12/12 – |
Final exam Prep
Final exam prep
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Thurs. 12/13 – Final exam
