California State University, Northridge: Fall 2012
Queer Studies/English 115: Approaches to University Writing
Syllabus Table of Contents:
Instructor
Information
Attendance
Disability
Information
Email Protocol
Course Description
Required Texts
Other Course
Policies
Tentative Schedule
Instructor: Ian Barnard, Ph.D.
Office: ST 834
Office Hours: TR 3:30-4:30
p.m., and by appointment
Email: ian.barnard@csun.edu
“You can’t plead tolerance
for gays by saying that
they’re just like everyone
else. Tolerance is something
we should extend to people
who are not like everyone
else.”
Course
Requirements
Citation of Sources
Grade Distribution
Course Objectives
Please see me early
in the semester if you
have a documented
disability, so that we
can discuss what
accommodations, if
any, I might make to
help you to succeed
in this class.
― Vito Russo, The Celluloid Closet:
Course Description:
Homosexuality in the Movies
Prerequisites: EPT score of 151 or higher.
Expository prose writing with a focus
on both content and form. Specific emphases shall
include the exercise of logical thought and
clear expression, the development of effective
organizational strategies, and the appropriate
gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction
on diction, syntax, and grammar, as well as the
elements of prose style. Students receive credit for only one course chosen from AAS, CAS, CHS, ENGL, PAS, and QS 115.
Course Objectives:
 Demonstrate competence in university writing
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Demonstrate the ability to use rhetorical strategies that include the appeal to audience, logic, and emotion
Understand writing as a recursive process and demonstrate its use through invention, drafting, and revision (creating, shaping,
and completing)
Demonstrate the ability to use conventions of format, structure, style, and language appropriate to the purpose of a written text
Demonstrate the ability to use library and online resources effectively and to document these sources
This course also meets the following Student Learning Outcomes in the English Department and Queer Studies Program:
Queer Studies:
English:
■ Explore and value the diversities of cultures, thought, perspectives, and literatures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, and
queer people and communities, and explore and value the ways in which ethnicity/race, gender (understood here in terms of the different
contrasts between women and men, and between non-normatively gendered and normatively gendered people), and socioeconomic class
shape the diversities of cultures, thought, perspectives, and literatures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, and queer people
and communities;
■ Critically reflect on and analyze multiple dimensions of human identity and experience that are shaped by sexuality and gender
(understood here in terms of a contrast not between women and men but between non-normatively gendered people and normatively
gendered people);
■ Contribute to scholarship and creative production and innovation in the interdisciplinary field of queer studies and closely related fields
such as transgender studies; and,
■ Act as responsible global citizens committed to principles of freedom, equality, justice and participatory democracy in ways that value
fully lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, and queer people and communities.
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You will gain
the ability to
read critically.
You will gain
the ability to
write
effectively.
You will gain
knowledge of
the cultural
diversity of
literatures.
This particular section of Queer Studies/English 115 focuses on queer issues and readings. So while the assignment sequences and
course requirements parallel those of other sections of PAS/CHS/CAS/AAS/ENGL 115, the subject matter is unique to our Queer
Studies/English 115 class. We will emphasize writing as a process. Revision will be an essential part of the work of the class. You’ll
write multiple drafts of your papers. You’ll receive oral and written feedback on your paper drafts from your colleagues and me.
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Required Texts:
In addition, I expect you to read web articles on composing and materials that your colleagues and I will post on Moodle (including
articles on “same-sex” marraige and your colleagues’ assignment drafts), and you will need to do independent research for some of the
course assignments. We will also watch the film The Cellouid Closet.
If you have a laptop, please bring it to class meetings. If you do not own a laptop, you will need to print out workshop drafts for peer
workshop days.
Course Requirements:
punctual attendance
careful and critical
three
a collaborative
in-class
reading
at least
final portfolio
4
and vigorous
participation in
class discussions,
peer workshops,
and other class
activities
reading/viewing of
all assigned texts
(including
independent
research and
colleagues’
assignment drafts)
progressions
(each
progression
consists of four
writing
assignments)
web-based project writing
and oral
presentation of
that project
(Project Web)
and
two
viewing
tutoring
responses sessions at
the CSUN
Learning
Resource
Center
showcasing
your best work,
including one
new revision
and a portfolio
preface
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Citation of Sources:
Grade Distribution and Information:
Final Portfolio
Other Assignments
Project Web
50%
30%
20%
I will post detailed prompts for all assignments on Moodle. I evaluate your final
portfolio holistically, and you’ll earn a letter grade from A-F (including + and –
grades) for the portfolio and for the course. You and your group members will
earn a score out of 20 for your Project Web. I evaluate all other assignments on a
credit/no credit basis. You must fulfill the requirements and complete the
assignment on time in order to earn full credit for a particular assignment (see
exceptions in paragraph below). In some cases, I will permit you to revise an
assignment so that you may earn credit for it, provided that you turned in the
original assignment on time.
In order to be eligible to post the final portfolio, you must have received credit for
assignments 1D, 2D, and 3D. I will lower your final course grade by 1/3 grade for
each week or part of a week that you post any of these assignments late without
prior permission from me.
Since this class is centered around in-class peer workshops and class discussions,
your punctual and engaged attendance is a critical component of your work in the
course. I expect you to attend all class meetings, but I understand that you may
need to miss class in the case of an emergency. Each class member will receive
four “emergency passes” that allow you to arrive late to class, leave early, or miss
a class meeting due to an emergency. Once you have used up your four
emergency passes, I will lower your final course grade by 1/3 grade for each class
meeting that you miss. Two tardies (arriving late or leaving early) count as one
absence. In addition, you need to be prepared for class in order to be able to
participate effectively and benefit from class time. If you are unprepared for a
particular class meeting, I will mark you tardy.
Plagiarism is a contested and context-specific
topic. We will discuss effective ways of using
sources and issues around plagiarism in class.
Email Protocol:
I acknowledge all email messages within 48
hours. If you email me but don’t get a response,
I haven’t received your email. Feel free to
email me concerning any questions you have
about the course or about your work. Do not
email your papers to me for feedback; I’d be
happy to discuss your papers/revisions/revision
ideas with you in person. It’s important to
practice composing professional emails: be sure
that your emails to me include appropriate
subject lines, salutations, and closes.
Other Course Policies:
I will not spend much time lecturing and expect
you to participate vigorously in the many
workshops and discussions around which the
course is organized. We all teach and learn in
this course--I do not believe in a one-way
transmission of “knowledge” from instructor to
students. I don’t have all the answers, and I
look forward to learning as much as teaching in
this course. You should direct your questions
and comments in class to your colleagues as
much as to me. I encourage you to talk in class:
try to speak at least once during each class
discussion and peer workshop.
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Tentative Schedule
Date
T 8/28
R 8/30
T 9/4
R 9/6
T 9/11
R 9/13
T 9/18
R 9/20
Class Activities
 introduction to the course
 discuss syllabus and working with Moodle
 text polls
 class member introductions
 introduction to reading
 in-class reading and discussion of They Say/I
Say Chapter 11
 discuss reading
 preview Progression 1
 discuss assignment 1A
 discuss reading
 review assignment 1A
 discuss assignment 1B
 discuss reading
 review assignment 1B
 discuss assignment 1C
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review assignment 1C
discuss assignment 1D
composition strategies
peer workshops
discuss citation of sources
discuss revision
update on Agabian
review assignment 1D
introduction to visual rhetoric
sample analysis
Assignments for Next Time
 read pp. 1-48 in Me as Her Again
 bring Me as Her Again and They Say/I Say to class
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read pp. 49-142 in Me as Her Again
post assignment 1A on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 9/4
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read pp. 143-194 in Me as Her Again
post assignment 1B on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 9/6
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read pp. 195-243 in Me as Her Again
post assignment 1C on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 9/11
make LRC tutor appointment for assignment 1D or
2D
post a complete draft of your assignment 1D on
Moodle by 1 p.m. on 9/13
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work on revising your assignment 1D
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post your revised assignment 1D on Moodle by 1
p.m. on 9/20 (post as Word or PDF attachment)
read Picture This pp. 1-91
post a reading response on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 9/25
(200-250 words): select one point from Picture This
that you found particularly surprising, interesting,
convincing, or far-fetched. Cite the page your point
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T 9/25
R 9/27
T 10/2
R 10/4
T 10/9
R 10/11
T 10/16
R 10/18
T 10/23
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preview Progression 2
discuss assignment 2A
visual rhetoric work
discuss reading and Moodle posts
review assignment 2A
discuss assignments 2B and 2C
ethnography protocols and questions
review assignment 2B
introduction to The Celluloid Closet
watch first section of The Celluloid Closet
review assignment 2C
watch conclusion to The Celluloid Closet
discuss film
discuss assignment 2D
composition strategies
peer workshops
discuss MLA format for Works Cited
mid-semester evaluation of the course
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review assignment 2D
preview Progression 3
discuss readings
LRC debrief
discuss mid-semester evaluations
discuss readings
discuss assignment 3A
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review assignment 3A
discuss assignment 3B
discuss reading
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comes from and explain your response to this point.
post your assignment 2A on Moodle by 1 p.m. on
9/27
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post your assignment 2B on Moodle by 1 p.m. on
10/2
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post your assignment 2C or a link to your assignment
2C on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 10/4
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post a complete draft of your assignment 2D on
Moodle by 1 p.m. on 10/9
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post your revised assignment 2D on Moodle by 1
p.m. on 10/16 (post as Word or PDF attachment)
 read selected Moodle essays on same-sex marriage
 bring your LRC tutor session verification to class
No Class
 read Against Equality pp.1-42
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read They Say/I Say Prefaces, Introduction, and Part 1
post your assignment 3A on Moodle by 1 p.m. on
10/23
read They Say/I Say Part 2
post your assignment 3B on Moodle by 1 p.m. on
10/25
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R 10/25
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review assignment 3B
in-class writing
discuss reading
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T 10/30
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discuss reading
report back on research
discuss assignment 3C
review assignment 3C
discuss assignment 3D
composition strategies
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peer workshops
discuss reading
discuss reading
analyze Hillary Clinton video
review assignment 3D
discuss portfolio
local revision
discuss Project Web
work on revision of assignment 1D or 2D or
3D for Project Web
No Class
discuss portfolio preface
work on Project Web
peer workshops
work on Project Web
Project Web presentations
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course synthesis/rupture
party?
R 11/1
T 11/6
R 11/8
T 11/13
R 11/15
T 11/20
R 11/22
T 11/27
R 11/29
T 12/4
R 12/6
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read Against Equality pp. 43-78
post a 250-300 word specific report on your research
for assignment 3D on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 10/30
(explain which sources you plan to use and how you
expect to use each source)
post assignment 3C on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 11/1
read selected essays on same-sex marriage (readings
on Moodle)
post a complete draft of your assignment 3D on
Moodle by 1 p.m. on 11/6
work on revising your assignment 3D
read They Say/I Say Part 3
post your revised assignment 3D on Moodle by 1
p.m. on 11/13 (post as Word or PDF attachment)
if you don’t have a laptop, bring your assignments
1D, 2D, and 3D to class
make tutor appointment with the LRC
work on Project Web
work on portfolio
post a draft of your portfolio preface or a link to your
draft on Moodle by 1 p.m. on 11/29
post a link to your Project Web on Moodle by 1 p.m.
on 12/4 (one link per group)
post your portfolio as a Word or PDF attachment on
Moodle by 1 p.m. on 12/6