Course Requirements & Policies: Materials

1. Freshman Common Reading: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah (required)

2. Course Packet https://libguides.brooklyn.cuny.edu/1010/gallagher_justin

Attendance & Punctuality: If you miss more than four classes, you will receive no credit for participation. 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: 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.

NOTE: Cellphones must be silenced and put away during class. The use of cellphones and other electronics is not permitted in the classroom, except under exceptional circumstances.  Students should inform the instructor about these circumstances.

Reading: Class discussion is a critical element of this course, and participation is essential. Students are expected to have closely read and be ready to discuss all readings on the day they are assigned. There will be unannounced reading quizzes. Bring the assigned reading to every class.

Assignments:

Essays & Other Writing: Students will write the following: a personal narrative (750-1000 words), two summaries (250-500 words each), an argumentative essay (1000-1250 words), 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, and formatted with one-inch margins. In addition, 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.

NOTE: Essays are due at the beginning of class.  The instructor will not accept essays submitted via email.

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. The instructor will discuss the test format in class.

LOOP workshop: The Brooklyn College Bulletin states the following:

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.

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 course work 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 one week has 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.

Possible grades are as follows:

A   93-100       C+78-79       D- 60-62

A-  90-23         C  73-77      F 59 or below

B+ 88-89        C-  70-72

B   83-87         D+ 69-69

B- 80-82          D  63-67

Grading Breakdown:

Essays: 60%

Personal Narrative: 10 % Summaries: 10%

Argumentative Essay: 20% Compare and Contrast: 20% Final Exam: 20%

Other Assignments: 10%

This includes take-home assignments, in-class writing, and quizzes.

Attendance & Participation: 10%

This includes attendance, promptness, participation in class discussions and group work, etc.

Plagiarism: 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 here.

Course Schedule:

WEEK 1 Mon., 8/27: Introductions

Review of syllabus and expectations

Wed., 8/29:

Reading due: Americanah pts. 1-3

Anthony Appiah, “The Case for Contamination”

WEEK 2

Mon., 9/3:

Labor Day- No Class

Wed., 9/5:

Reading due: Americanah pts. 4-7

WEEK 3 Mon., 9/10:

No Classes Scheduled

Wed., 9/12:

Reading due: George Saunders, “The Braindead Megaphone”

WEEK 4 Mon., 9/17:

First draft of personal essay due- bring 3 copies to class for workshop

Wed., 9/19:

No Classes Scheduled

WEEK 5 Mon., 9/24:

Reading due: George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”

Wed., 9/26:

Reading due: Akiba Solomon, “Thugs, Students, Rioters, Fans: Media’s Subtle Racism in Unrest Coverage”

WEEK 6 Mon., 10/1:

Reading due: Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence”

Final draft of personal essay due

Wed., 10/3:

Reading due: Frederick Douglass, “Learning to Read and Write”

WEEK 7 Mon., 10/8:

Columbus Day- No Class

Wed., 10/12:

Reading due: Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

WEEK 8 Mon., 10/15:

Reading due:  Ta-Nehisi Coates, “The Case for Reparations”

Wed., 10/17:

Reading due: Walter Benn Michaels, “The Trouble with Diversity”

WEEK 9 Mon., 10/22:

First draft of argumentative essay due- bring 3 copies to class

Wed., 10/24:

Reading due:  Roxane Gay, “Peculiar Benefits”

WEEK 10 Mon., 10/29

Reading due: John Taylor Gatto, “Against School: How Public Education Cripples Our Kids, and Why”

Final draft of argumentative essay due