A.Walzer
1
What are the Major Writing Assignments of English 100ESP?
WHAT WHAT’S THE
WEEK? ASSIGNMENT?
1
2
3
4
5
HOW
POINTS?
Micro-theme #1
(in-class) on Wed
2/10
50
Micro-theme #2
(out-of-class) due
on Fri 2/19
50
Theme #1 (out-ofclass) due on Fri
3/4
100
6
7
none
Micro-theme #3
(in-class) on Wed
3/16
8
Micro-theme #4
(out-of-class) due
on Fri 4/1
50
Theme #2 (out-ofclass) due on Fri
4/15
100
9
10
PROMPT & RELEVANT TEXTS
MANY
50
THEME #1: What is Academic Identity?
Academic Identity:
“According to Greene and Lidinsky, what is an ‘Academic Habit
of Mind,’ and how could it benefit you as college student?”
 “Habits of Mind” (FIAW, Greene and Lidinsky)
Academic Identity:
“According to Claude Steele, what is ‘Identity Contingency,’ and
how could it affect your experience as a college student?”
 “At the Root of Identity”(from Whistling Vivaldi, Steele)
Academic Identity - Revise & extend micro-theme #1 or #2:
“Select either the concept of an Academic Habit of Mind or the
concept of Identity Contingency, and apply the theory to help
explain the experiences of Richard Rodriguez in ‘Scholarship Boy
and/or Gerald Graff in ‘Disliking Books.’ Use micro-theme #1 or
micro-theme #2 as the starting point for your paper.”
 “Scholarship Boy” (Rodriguez)
 “Disliking Books” (Graff)
THEME #2: How does technology shape identity?
Technology & Identity:
“What is Sherry Turkle’s argument about technology and
identity in ‘Growing Up Tethered?’ Summarize and then
analyze her argument.”
 “Growing up Tethered” (Sherry Turkle)
(Spring break)
Technology & Identity:
“What is Jane McGonigal’s argument about technology and
identity in ‘Becoming Something Bigger than Ourselves?’
Summarize and then analyze her argument.”
 “Becoming Something Greater Than Ourselves” (Jane
McGonigal)
Technology & Identity – Revise & extend micro-theme #3 or #4:
“To what extent can technology be seen to enhance our
identities? Use micro-theme #3 or micro-theme #4 as the
starting point for your paper. Then develop your argument with
reference to the ideas of Sherry Turkle and Jane McGonigal plus
two additional sources from the choices below:”
 “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” (Carr)
 “Are Smart Gadgets Making us Dumb?” (Morozov)
A.Walzer
2
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

11
12
13
14
15
16
none
Micro-theme #6
(out-of-class) due
on Fri 4/29
75
Theme #3 (out-ofclass) due on Wed
5/18
120
Theme #4 (in-class)
on Mon 5/23
100
*FIAW = From Inquiry to Argument
“How Videogames Can Make You Smarter” (Steinberg)
“The Flight from Conversation” (Turkle) p.49
“Scientific Habits of Mind in Virtual Worlds”
(Steinkuehler & Duncan)
THEME #3: How does identity affect treatment in society?
Society & Identity:
Recall Steele’s concept of Identity Contingency. How do identity
contingencies related to race, class, and gender affect Henrietta
Lacks, according to Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks?
 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Skloot)
Society & Identity - Revise and extend micro-theme #6:
Select one of the identity contingencies you discussed in microtheme #6 and investigate how this particular identity
contingency affects individuals’ access to 1) medical care, 2)
education, or 3) justice in the United States today. Use microtheme #6 as the starting point for your paper. Develop your
paper with ideas from a minimum of four quality outside
sources.
THEME #4: Reflections on Academic Identity:
How does one produce successful academic writing? Draw on
your experiences as a reader and writer in this class, the
experiences of Rebecca Skloot in ILHL, and the ideas you’ve
encountered in this semester’s readings to support your
response. Use a minimum of three readings from this semester.
**ILHL = The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks