“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” –Anne Lamott
“In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the center of chaos make one definitive act. Just write.” -Natalie Goldberg
“A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return.” –Salman Rushdie
“Read, Read, Read, never stop reading. And when you can’t read anymore…write.”
–James Baldwin
Freshman Comp reading: Americanah by: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Online course materials/readings for class these can be found on the LibGuides site (I will go over this in class)
Suggested: Hacker, Diana A Writer’s Reference. 9th Edition and The Brief Bedford Reader
COURSE OVERVIEW, REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
Attendance, participation and reading for 1010 Composition are obligatory. Because this class revolves around reading and writing, you should be prepared to discuss the assigned reading during every class. There will be an occasional pop quiz and we will also be utilizing LibGuides, the online source where you can find your readings. The readings should be printed and a hard copy of the readings should be brought to every class. If you do not bring a hard copy of the text, you will lose points on the participation part of your grade. Each week there will be discussion questions and you will be required to comment on at least two of your classmates’ posts before the next class meeting.
Lateness and frequent absences will affect your grade. More than one lateness counts as an absence. You are entitled to two unexcused absences for health or personal reasons, but for each additional absence, your final grade will fall by one half (ex: B to B-). If you have more than six unexcused absences, you will need to repeat the course. If you are to be absent because of religious beliefs please let me know in advance.
All phones/laptops/electronic devices should be turned off during class. If I see a cellphone or a laptop or any other electronic device out during class you will be marked as absent for the day. For emergency situations please step into the hall with your phone.
Late work:
All late work (essays or homework) will not be accepted after 1 week of lateness. If you are absent it is your responsibility to get the assignment from someone and email it to me or hand it in to me at the next class you attend.
Take Home Assignments:
All work that is handed in to me must be typed. I will not accept handwritten work. Please follow the MLA 8 guidelines when handing in assignments. We will go over MLA formatting in class. You can also visit the Writing Center or look on Purdue Owl’s online site www.owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/? For more clarity.
GRADING:
Grading Breakdown:
Essays: 60%
Personal Narrative: 10 %
Summaries: 10%
Argumentative Essay: 15%
Compare and Contrast: 15%
In-Class Compare and Contrast 10%
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.
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.
A NOTE ON PLAGIARISM:
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.
A NOTE REGARDING THE WRITING CENTER:
The Writing Center is located on the first floor in Boylan Hall. If you need an extra set of eyes and ears to help you with your papers or assignments I urge you to visit the college assistants who work there. It’s free and it’s a great way to improve your writing.
A NOTE REGARDING MY OFFICE HOURS:
My office hours are on Thursday from 9:20 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. right after our class. Please feel free to drop by and discuss your work with me and any other questions you might have about the class. If my office hours don’t fit into your schedule, just let me know and I will be happy to make time on a different day.
A NOTE REGARDING 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 your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.
Reference to the Student Bereavement Policy :
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).
A Note Regarding Respect:
We all have a voice and our voices are powerful. However, a lot of the time we speak without thinking. I ask that everyone remains respectful during our class time together. This means respect for each other, our similarities and our differences. We can agree to disagree but we must, as Ellen Degeneres suggests, “Be kind to one another”. This rule applies to everyone (even me!). This also means that none of us should make assumptions about anyone else’s experience.
English 1010 Composition
Tuesday and Thursday 8:00-9:15 a.m.
Fall 2018
Professor Keller
Email: Anna.Keller@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Office: 2311 Boylan Hall
Office Hours: Thursday 9:20 – 10:20
Course Calendar
Tues, Aug. 28
Review Syllabus, introductions and expectations.
H.W. Begin reading Americanah and bring book to next class
Thurs., Aug. 30
Bring Americanah to class. Argument or as I like to say, “Astonish me”. In class diagnostic essay.
H.W. Finish Americanah by next week and bring book to next class
Tues., Sept. 4
Bring Americanah to class. Lesson on Close reading and Annotation.
H.W. Due Thursday Sept. 6. Read “City Limits” by: Colson Whitehead. Print and annotate one full page of the text (this will be collected).
Thurs., Sept. 6
In-class discussion on revision and a writing exercise. Crafting a personal essay
H.W. Draft 1 of personal narrative due Thurs., Sept 1.
Bring in 3 copies of your first draft for in-class workshop on Thurs. Sept, 13
Tues., Sept. 11
No Classes Scheduled
Thurs., Sept. 13
In-class essay workshop/peer review.
H.W. 2nd draft of personal narrative due Thursday, September, 20. Read “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by: Gloria Anzaldua and “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan
Tues., Sept. 18
No Classes Scheduled
Thurs., Sept. 20
Final Draft of Personal Narrative due today
Summary/Paraphrase lesson 1 in-class summary on either reading from HW.
H.W. Write a 250-500 word summary about the other reading you didn’t summarize in class.
Read: “Against School: How public education cripples our kids, and why” by: John Taylor Gatto. And read “We Are Not All Created Equal: The Truth About the American Class System” by: Stephen Marche.
Tues., Sept. 25
Argument and the Analytical essay and Thesis Statement . Evidence and Structure brief MLA review Read: “Quandaries of Representation” by: Mona El-Ghobashy Read: “Another Country” by: Danticat Edwidge.
Bring in your typed one sentence thesis. I will hand this back with comments at our library session.
Thurs., Sept. 27
Library visit and group bingo game
HW: Read “The Case for Reparations” by: Ta-Nahisi Coates and rework thesis statement if needed.
Tues., Oct. 2
In Class Writing and thesis statement review/audience.
Reverse Outlining Draft #1 of Argumentative Essay due on Tues., Oct. 9.
HW: make a reverse outline for your paper to be handed in. Also, bring what you have written so far to our next class.
Thurs., Oct. 4
Group work and in-class essay work.
Tues., Oct 9
Draft 1 of Argumentative Essay due today. Bring only 2 copies for a peer review.
HW: Read “Peculiar Benefits” by: Roxanne Gay
Thurs., Oct. 11
Class discussion of reading
Tues., Oct. 16
HW Draft 2 of Argumentative Essay due on Tues, Oct 23
Thurs., Oct. 18
n class reading, please bring a hard copy to class of “The Careless Language of Sexual Violence” by: Roxanne Gay
Tues., Oct. 23
Draft 2 of Argumentative Essay due today
Lesson: Compare and Contrast (In class reading and activity bring a hard copy of “Twitterholics Anonymous” by: Mona Eltahawy)
Read: “Mirror, Mirror on the Web” by: Lakshmi Chaudhry
Thurs., Oct. 25
Texts in Conversation in class brainstorming/writing project
Tues., Oct. 30
In-class compare and contrast essay
Read: “Looking for Work” by: Gary Soto and “Map Quest” by: Gary Shteyngart
Thurs., Nov 1
In Class writing/Argument
HW: 1st draft of Compare and Contrast Essay due on Tues., Nov.6.
Bring 3 copies of your paper to class for the peer review
Tues., Nov. 6
Peer Review Please Bring 3 Copies of your 1st draft to class
Quotations, structure, writing strategies
Homework: 2nd Draft on Compare and Contrast due on Thurs., Nov. 8
Thurs., Nov. 8
2nd Draft of Compare and Contrast Essay due today.
Tues., Nov. 13
Research and citation review
Thurs., Nov. 15
Sample essays
Tues., Nov. 20
Research and Catch Up Final Draft of Compare and Contrast due Tuesday Nov 27th
Thurs., Nov. 22
Thanksgiving Recess – College Closed
Tues., Nov. 27
Final Draft of Compare and Contrast due today. Research and Catch Up continued
Thurs., Nov. 29
Compare and contrast game day
Tues., Dec. 4
In class writing and short assignment TBA
Thurs., Dec. 6
Final Exam Prep Week
Tues., Dec. 11
In-class writing practice
Final Exam: TBA
