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Expository Writing, Fall 2023
English 120, Tuesday and Friday
Section 54: 1:00--2:15 (E922)
Sections R1 & 19: 4:00—5:15 (W611)
INSTRUCTOR: Meg Wise-Lawrence
OFFICE: M153 or RWC
PHONE: (212) 772-5114
EMAIL: MWISELAW@GMAIL.COM
OFFICE HOURS: BY APPOINTMENT
(RWC Tuesday & Friday 12-1:30 & 2:30—4:00, Wednesday 12—3)
English 120, an introductory expository writing course, has four related goals: through reading,
discussions, writing, and rewriting, it teaches students to generate, explore, and refine their own
ideas; to analyze and evaluate intellectual arguments; to take positions, develop thesis
statements, and support them persuasively; and to write with standard acceptable grammar,
varied sentence structure, logical organization, and coherence.
In each section of English 120 over the course of the semester, students are expected to hand in
the following documents, all of which are to be included in the portfolio at the end of the
semester:
1. The pre-assessment AND post-assessment responses (worth 5% of your grade)
2. A 10-page documented researched essay with drafts including the Annotated
Bibliography (30%)
3. Participation in class, on Blackboard, and Group Work (40%)
4. In order to pass the course, students must produce a satisfactory portfolio, including all of
the above (25%).
Course Goals:
The goals of English 120 are to promote students’ abilities to do the following:
● Develop nuanced and persuasive research questions and thesis statements
● Identify, evaluate, and effectively incorporate a variety of sources to explore the research
question and thesis statement
● Apply effective evidence to academic writing situations
● Organize arguments logically and effectively
● Choose effective style and grammar for academic audiences
● Incorporate peer and instructor feedback
● Reflect on the writing and revision process
No Required Textbooks. All readings and worksheets are available online on Blackboard, in
our course shell, under Course Materials.
Course Requirements:
Along with daily participation and in-class reading and writing exercises, students are required to
submit a final digital portfolio containing: a pre- and post-semester reading response, a 10 page
documented research paper with a Work Cited page after several drafts, including the annotated
bibliography, and a final digital, reflective portfolio. Please keep all of your work throughout the
2
semester saved.
Course Policies:
Attendance/Tardiness: Attendance is essential for participation, and for discussing critical
terms and ideas. If you miss or are late with any assignments, you will receive a reduced grade.
When absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and obtain the necessary
information from another student. More than three absences, excused or otherwise, will
negatively impact your grade. If you are having issues, reach out to me and the Writing Center,
librarians, advisors, or counselors.
Late work: I expect MLA style for all essays and drafts, except the portfolio. All homework
and essays should submitted according to the Course Schedule (below) and Blackboard (Bb)
dates (late submissions only accepted with prior email permission). You may give me a hard
copy or share it with me as a Google Doc for comments. If extenuating circumstances arise,
please contact me as soon as possible. For Bb Discussion Board, you must reply weekly to at
least two classmates, unless otherwise specified. All formal writing assignments must be typed,
double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and in 12-point Times New Roman font. You
will write directly on Bb Discussion, or copy and paste your writing from a document, or share
your Google Doc link on Bb, according to the prompt.
Workshops and Group Work: Revision is an essential part of the writing process and differs
from editing and polishing. A polished final draft is arrived at after much revision.
Understanding the importance and position of revision will be discovered through your various
workshops (i.e. group work, Discussion Board) and through my detailed class and draft
comments.
Essay Assignments (due dates on Schedule below):
A) The Pre- and Post-Semester Reading Responses (2 pages each): Reading response
instructions under Course Materials.
B) Research Step 1: The Annotated Bibliography (5+ pages). This Synthesis Matrix
worksheet-based assignment should focus on your academic sources—what is the conversation
on your topic/issue? Your working thesis at this point should be about the literature—is the
conversation complete? Is it fair? What is missing? And critically why should your audience
care? Your research should be addressing your RQs; include a naysayer, or other nuanced
viewpoints. You must provide at least ten middle- to high-ethos sources (you may also
include additional sources such as low-ethos).
Research 2: The Expository Essay (4+ pages). This “exploratory” essay should examine a
social issue or topic of interest: start by asking RQs (Research Questions) and researching for
answers. Dive down some rabbit holes. Your working thesis at this point should be your best
RQ—I don’t expect an arguable statement yet. Your research for this should include newspapers,
magazines, blogs, and other non-academic Internet sources like Wikipedia. Starting your Precis’
assignments should be a central focus. Your conclusion at this point can be reflective, and should
indicate where you plan to go with your research.
3
The Documented Critical Analysis Research Essay (10 pages with MLA Works Cited—
NOT the Annotated Bibliography). This essay must include the above elements PLUS a
concrete, nuanced, arguable thesis. Don’t forget to support your POV with a variety of
integrated sources, including at least one different viewpoint. Remember that while the research
aspect is vital, you will be graded according to the strength of your argument and your variety of
rhetorical devices, as well as how well you synthesize your embedded sources.
D) Final Digital Portfolio with Reflective Essay. You will upload your WordPress, Wix, or
Google Slides link onto Bb by midnight on the last day of class. The portfolio must begin with a
cover or title page, table of contents, then your reflective essay. You must discuss in the essay
and include in the portfolio: the Pre- and Post- Semester Reading Responses, the Annotated
Bibliography, Essay 3 and examples of draft work. If you choose to rewrite (with permission)
your Researched Essay, you will also include that here.
ChatGPT and Other Generative AI
ChatGPT and other AI can be used as a brainstorming method, not a writing tool. Just as you will
discuss your paper and topic with a classmate, or ask a friend to read your draft for comments,
you may engage with AI. Consider it a somewhat reliable friend (it does make mistakes). Do not
expect it to write your paper for you since the nuances of the assignment, and your unique
perspective, cannot be fully understood or developed ChatGPT or other AI. IMPORTANT: If you
do use AI, you MUST include the prompt that you used, as well as what it generated, in an
APPENDIX.
Hunter College Policies:
Plagiarism: Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as word-forword copying without acknowledgment of the language or ideas of another writer.
Obviously, having another person write or dictate all or part of one’s composition is forbidden.
In addition, a writer should copy no printed passage, no matter how brief, without
acknowledging its source and either placing it in quotation marks or setting it aside as a blocked
quotation. This applies to even the briefest of phrases if they are truly individual and distinctive.
Hunter College Academic Integrity Statement: Hunter College regards acts of academic
dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and
falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of
intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic
Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College
Academic Integrity Procedures.
Hunter College Academic Accommodation Statement: In compliance with the American
Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter
College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with
documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with
documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/or Learning) consult the Office of
ACCESSability located in Room 1214B East to secure necessary academic accommodations. For
further information and assistance please call (212-772-4857) /TTY (212-650-3230).
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Hunter College Policy on Sexual Misconduct: In compliance with the CUNY Policy on Sexual
Misconduct, Hunter College reaffirms the prohibition of any sexual misconduct, which includes
sexual violence, sexual harassment, and gender-based harassment retaliation against students,
employees, or visitors, as well as certain intimate relationships. Students who have experienced
any form of sexual violence on or off campus (including CUNY-sponsored trips and events) are
entitled to the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights for Hunter College.
a. Sexual Violence: Students are strongly encouraged to immediately report the incident
by calling 911, contacting NYPD Special Victims Division Hotline (646-610-7272) or
their local police precinct, or contacting the College's Public Safety Office (212-7724444).
b. All Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct: Students are also encouraged to contact the
College's Title IX Campus Coordinator, Dean John Rose (jtrose@hunter.cuny.edu or
212-650-3262) or Colleen Barry (colleen.barry@hunter.cuny.edu or 212-772-4534) and
seek complimentary services through the Counseling and Wellness Services Office,
Hunter East 1123.
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How to be successful in this class:
1. Come to class on time and prepared to participate. Participation includes having
assignments completed, bringing needed materials, contributing to discussions in a
positive manner, and working on what is assigned during the class period.
2. Keep this syllabus and any changes made to it on hand. Know when writing
assignments are due. Know when readings should be completed.
3. Keep all of your work. Do not discard anything.
4. Ask questions. It is your responsibility to find out what you need to know in order to
be successful in your academic endeavors, as well as in the other areas of your life.
If any problems should arise, you may contact me--or I may contact you--to discuss them. If a
problem seems too difficult for us to resolve, mediation is available through the English
Department.
Date
W1
F: 8/30
Topic
Course
Introductions
Readings
Familiarize yourself with the Syllabus
which includes the Assignments and exact
Course Schedule. See what readings
(Course Materials) or other assignments
need to be completed W2.
Familiarize yourself with all areas of
Blackboard (Bb) & Post Intro on
Discussion Board. Respond to everyone
this week (normally 3+).
Assignments
DUE WEEKLY
Bb Discussion
Board
Due 9/6: PreSemester Reading
Response
5
W2
Tu: 9/3
Introduction to
All week: Begin to research social issues
Critical Reading and topics for your final researched,
and Writing
critically analyzed and argued essay. Start
your MLA document with Works Cited
page on Google Docs, and begin prewriting
on your chosen topic/issue.
F: 9/6
Getting Started
Read and be prepared to discuss Foer’s
“My Life as a Dog,” and Giles “Reflective
Writing and the Research Process.”
Worksheets: the Synthesis Matrix and the
Rhetorical Precis.
W3
Tu: 9/10
Do we always
need to read
closely?
F: 9/13
In-class writing on
“My Life as a Dog”
SHARE THE PRESEMESTER
READING
ASSIGNMENT
WITH ME AS A
GOOGLE DOC
(ALLOW
COMMENTS/
EDITS)
Read Rosenberg’s “Reading Games” and
be prepared to discuss.
Worksheet From Topics to Questions and
RQs.
W4
Tu: 9/17
The Writing
Process
Food as a topic: Tan “Fish Cheeks.”
F: 9/20
Commitment to
a Topic
Present Proposal for Research Project
W5
Tu: 9/24
Lamott “Shitty First Drafts” and Graff et
al. “Entering the Conversation”
F: 9/27
Pollan Botany of Desire video and book
introduction. Imagining food as a research
topic (and looking for issues).
Topic/outline for
first paper and Draft
One Annotated
Bibliography
Workshop then post
on Bb: Annotated
Bibliography
6
W6
Tu: 10/1
Revising
Research (RQs
and the
Working
Thesis)
F: 10/4
W7
Tu: 10/8
Schlosser’s intro to Fast Food Nation.
Wallace “Consider the Lobster.”
Bring Essay draft and materials.
NO CLASSES
Critical Lenses
Finding a researchable topic. Draft
Discussion: Why should we care?
F: 10/11
Jones “Finding the Good Argument.”
W8
Tu:
10/15
NO CLASSES
(Monday Schedule)
F: 10/18
Synthesizing
Sources
Bring Research draft
work and revised
RQs to all classes.
Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Kincaid’s
“Girl.”
Irvin “What is Academic Writing?”
W9
Tu:
10/22
F: 10/25
W10
Tu:
10/29
DUE: the
Annotated
Bibliography
(SHARE Google
Doc and allow me
to edit/comment).
The Final Essay
Alexander’s intro to The New Jim Crow.
Due: Draft 1 (step
B2)
In Class Writing (bring draft work and at
least one high ethos source).
Bring argument on
research topic to
refute
F: 11/1
Woolf’s “The Death of the Moth.”
W11
Tu: 11/5
Dillard’s “The Death of a Moth.”
F: 11/8
Synthesizing sources. I will be looking
over your matrix and precis’ today (there
7
might be extra credit involved).
Final Essay workshops.
W12
Tu:
11/12
F: 11/15
W13
Tu:
11/19
F: 11/22
W14
Tu:
11/26
Closely read and annotate for discussion:
E.B. White “Once More to the Lake” and
final draft workshops.
Final Draft Due
Nabokov’s intro to Speak, Memory and
reflection.
Wednes
day
11/27
The Final
Reflective
Portfolio
FRIDAY SCHEDULE
W15
W15
Tu: 12/3
The Pre- and
Post-Semester
Assessment
Bring Draft of PreSemester Reading
Response
Last day of
classes!
FINAL DIGITAL
PORTFOLIO and
any approved
rewrites
DUE BY
MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT
Final draft of
Researched Essay
due by midnight
11/27 if you want
comments
F: 12/6
W16
Tu:
12/10
F:
12/13