Freshman Composition II
ENC 1102 CRN 10313
MW 2:30-3:45 P.M.
Building 7 Room 129
Professor Tori Grajeda
Email:
Office hours available by appt.
Fall 2009
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“Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines everybody is saying, or else you say
something true, and it will sound like it's from Neptune.” – Noam Chompsky
This course centers primarily around two mutually dependent concepts: voice and critical thought.
Thus, throughout the entirety of our semester together, our discussions will come back to a few primary
questions: who speaks and who is spoken to; whose voice gets heard and whose voice is delegitimized;
who writes our collective history and whose history is written for them; and most importantly, how can
you make your own voice matter and how can you speak while at the same time taking into
consideration competing voices. We will discover some of the answers to these questions by journeying
through voices of the last century that were considered marginalized in some way, voices that were only
recently added to our historical literary canon.
Within our global community, we are obliged to evaluate the implications of our words, our actions,
and our inactions, and we will treat this classroom and the materials presented herein as a smaller,
representative microcosm of that larger world. In this class, you will be pressed to think beyond the
boundaries of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationhood, not as a means of mind-changing
but as a method of critical thought development. You will be asked to challenge the definition of the
boundaries themselves, and through the literature with which we will engage, you will discover the
multiplicity of meaning in any single linguistic expression. You will also be persuaded to value the
importance of indefinite ambiguity over definite perception as a means of opening your mind to and
engaging in lifelong learning, and whether you’re convinced, I will press you to display this set of
educational ethics in your writing.
Required Texts and Materials:
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The Norton Introduction to Literature: Shorter 9th Edition. Eds. Booth, Hunter, & Mays. New York:
W.W. Norton & Co. 2006.
Troyka, Lynn and Douglas Hesse. Quick Access. Sixth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2010
A college-level dictionary and thesaurus
Composition Notebook and Portfolio Folders
Mandatory internet access for WebCT/Email access (checked at least 3 times a week)
(You will be assigned online readings for this course. Please note that you are responsible for printing
these out on your own and bringing them to class when such is assigned. I will post these helpful and
additional required readings throughout the semester, so please look at the schedule often so you are
prepared to discuss these readings in class.)
Course Prerequisites:
Enc 1101 or 1101H with a minimum grade of C.
Course Assignments and Grade Distribution:
Students will come to know the writing process and its fluidity through invention, discovery/research, drafting,
peer-editing, and re-vision in your writing assignments.
Essay I: Inquiry and Discovery – Textual Analysis
10 points
Essay II: Creative Positioning and Annotated Bibliography
15 points
Essay III: Critical Readings Essay
20 points
Essay IV: Textual Analysis of an “Argument”
25 points
Participation (quizzes, workshops, class discussions, oral
presentations, and other writing assignments)
25 points
Course Description and Objectives
ENC 1101 and 1102 are subject to the Gordon Rule, Rule 6A-10.030 of the Florida Administrative Code,
requiring students to write a minimum of four (4) college level assignments. Students in a Gordon Rule class
must earn a grade of C or better to receive course credit. ENC 1101 is worth 3 credit hours
During this course, you will be introduced to a wide variety of literature, written throughout the previous century.
You will discover new ideas regarding the way people other than yourself have thought about and constructed the
world in which you live. As the semester progresses, you will also learn methods to conduct college-level
research. This will include primary research – interviews, surveys, and field observations – and secondary
research – the more traditional library research. You will learn to carefully read and evaluate your sources for bias
and to examine your own. And I will be quite adamant about correctly documenting sources and will expect you
to avoid plagiarism. In further developing your writing, research, and critical analysis and synthesis skills, you
will be expected to develop a way of thinking, ways of interpreting texts and the world that resembles the
scholars who have been writing on these subjects for many years. In other words, I will not tell you what to think,
but I will help you construct your own ways of interpreting texts. You will be asked to think about and attempt to
understand the particular perspective you bring to class, as well as the alternate perspectives of your classmates
and various texts’ authors. While conducting your research and writing, you will be expected to consider many
perspectives and include the voices of other scholars and how they vision a piece of literature.
Essay Drafts, Revisions, and Final Draft Formatting:
Each essay will undergo at least two drafts before a final grade is assigned to it. This may be done through peer
editing and/or work-shopping. I am here to help you and want to see you succeed in this writing course!
Each draft must be typed, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins and a standard 12-inch font (Courier or New
Times Roman), stapled together. There is never a title page (please do not waste our resources). Instead, in the
upper left hand corner of the first page, the following should be listed. (This is a must and I will accept nothing
less.)
Your Name(s) and group number if applicable
My Name (spelled correctly)
ENC1102 and your section #
Date
Essay # and Draft #
For the final draft, your text should be numbered as well as spell-checked, free from typographical and
grammatical errors, stapled, and housed in a folder will all your drafts and peer responses. Page numbers are
placed in the header, along with your last name, beginning on the second page of your essay and continuing
consecutively into the last page of your essay – your works cited page. Please do not create your works cited page
in a separate document or leave it unnumbered. Adherence to these format requirements will affect the grade. All
sources must be documented according to MLA standards.
Also, please make sure to label every assignment that is placed in your folder or you will not receive credit for it!
Note: Papers that do not conform to any of the syllabus guidelines will not be accepted and will be counted as a
late assignment (see late assignment policy)
A Statement about Sickness
Stay home if you have flu-like symptoms (fever, cough and/or sore throat, possibly with diarrhea and vomiting),
for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a
fever. This is based on the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and County Health
Department. If you are absent from classes due to the novel H1N1 virus, you should notify your professor(s) to
discuss and agree upon make-up work for the classes missed.
P O L I C I E S
Attendance:
Attendance for this class is crucial. I expect students to attend every class with the assignment(s) read and
intelligent questions and discussion topics in mind. Nevertheless, I realize that some absences are unavoidable
and therefore permit each student 2 absences during the 15-week semester. Missing more than 2 class meetings
will be considered excessive absence. For every absence after the 2nd, your final letter grade will be reduced
by three points. If you miss more than 4 scheduled class meetings, you will automatically fail this course. In
addition, I expect you to arrive to class at the scheduled time. Please note that tardiness is not only rude but will
also affect your grade in this course – 2 tardies will be counted as one absence. If your tardiness exceeds 15
minutes of any one class, you will be considered absent. Please make plans to stay for the entire class meeting.
Don’t get up in the middle of a class to get a drink and take a phone call; you will be counted absent if you do.
Please note that my attendance policy is neither negotiable nor up for discussion. The only exceptions are truly
major emergencies and exceptions will be made at my discretion. Any absence that I deem excused will still
count as an absence, though you will be permitted to turn in any missed individual assignments. Please use your
permitted absences wisely – for emergencies and illnesses. These absences are more than enough to cover
emergencies and illnesses that occur during the semester.
Lastly, attendance sheets and quizzes will be utilized to determine attendance in this class. You are responsible
for making sure your presence is counted. If you are tardy, please sign under the tardy section. Attempts to falsify
tardiness will be considered dishonest and will result in being counted absent for the entire class session.
Class Participation and Readings:
Class Participation is worth TWENTY PERCENT of your grade. Students are expected to come to class with
reading and writing assignments completed, as well as with questions and comments that engage with the texts on
a college, academic level. I expect every student to participate in class discussions and to take a certain amount of
responsibility for creating our intellectual community. Please read the assignments before class and anticipate
lively informal discussions, peer presentations, group presentations, and in-class writings. Much of our classroom
time will be used to discuss drafts of your writing, either in your writing groups or in the larger class. You will be
assigned to writing groups to discuss ideas, conference on drafts, comment on each others' writings, and help each
other with editing. Thus, completion of assignments on time and attendance are absolutely imperative.
You are required to annotate each assigned reading and bring three questions or comments/concerns about the
texts to class. This will illustrate your critical thinking as various readings are discussed. Also, you are to select
(or be assigned) two readings from our book or the online readings and lead a brief discussion of each text. You
must bring a typed handout for each class member and myself the day of your informal presentation, which will:
highlight significant points of the reading according to you and your interests as well as a list of questions and
background information that will encourage classroom discussion. (You will sign up for two of these texts the
second week of class.)
Most importantly, both our classroom and our discussions are dependent on each student being responsible to the
rights and feelings of others, and I will accept nothing less. You have the responsibility of being cognizant of
your own expressions and the effects of those expressions. Avoid biased language at all costs (including but not
limited to sexist, hetero-sexist, racist, classist, and ageist – to name only a few). I find offensive and limiting
labels extremely problematic, and will not tolerate them in my class. Examples that are not acceptable are words
such as “chicks,” “dykes,” “fags,” “mongrels,” etc. Alike, do not use exclusive words like “firemen” when you
mean “firefighters” or “mail men” when you mean the “mail carrier.” You will come to realize that diction is
integral to a successful argument. Also, hate speech of any kind is grounds for removal from this class.
Late Papers:
I do not accept late papers or papers sent via email. Please have your assignments completed and ready to
hand in at the beginning of class on the day that they are due. A paper not turned in by the due date will not be
graded, you will not receive credit for that assignment, and you will receive a failing grade of ZERO. This is an
intensive writing course and your success and progress rests on your submitting your assignments as they are due
and receiving feedback on them before progressing to the next assignment. Treat this class as your job. PLEASE
NOTE: Failure to turn in one of the four essays will result in automatic failure of this course. Your essay
grade will also be lowered by two grades if you miss the peer review day and do not submit a rough draft,
unless I specify differently. If, however, you provide documentation that you were hospitalized, I will take that
into consideration. Handing in work before the due date is absolutely acceptable.
The deadline for the documented research essay (Essay 4) is absolute. Do not even ask for an exception or
extension. I do not accept late research papers.
A special note about computers: Even though computers and word-processing software are marvelous time and
energy-saving devices, they can and do cause problems with the production of your documents. Please be aware
that a broken or ill-functioning computer or the inability to retrieve, produce, or submit your assignments from
your computer will not be accepted as a valid excuse for a document submitted late. I advise you to save all your
documents to both a floppy disk, CD, or flash drive and your hard drive.
Quizzes and In-Class Assignments:
Often, a question will be placed on the board during the first five minutes of the class session to determine
attendance and your level of engagement with outside readings. If you miss a quiz or an in-class writing
assignment or activity, you cannot make it up.
Group Work:
Collaborating successfully with others is a crucial element of an academic community. This course relies heavily
on collaboration and is designed to follow a seminar format. Due to the obvious concerns, you will be graded on
an individual basis. If you have any concerns during the semester regarding an individual in your group, please do
not hesitate to speak with me privately during office hours. However, problems with group work in general will
not be addressed. You would be strongly advised to switch to another section of this course if you are opposed to
group work.
Missed Classes:
You are responsible for work or assignments missed due to absence. If you are going to be absent on the day that
an assignment is due, you must either turn the assignment in BEFORE the due date or successfully communicate
with me BEFORE class to make other arrangements. An email or phone message received 30 minutes before
class begins will not be regarded as successful communication. If you have not made previous arrangements with
me, expect your assignment to be considered late (see late paper policy). I will count your paper late if it is
emailed to me on the due date. If you know you are going to be absent, you need to either make
arrangements with me or turn in your work BEFORE the due date. Also, failure to attend class does not
excuse you from work due the following class period.
You are 100% responsible for keeping up with everything that goes on in class, even if you are absent or tardy.
Therefore, it will be to your advantage to attend class regularly, participate fully, and complete all assignments on
time. Call or email a classmate to find out what you missed. Do not come to me first or email me and ask whether
“we did anything important” on that day. If we had class, you can assume we did something important. I will not
give you a private lecture on our coursework. However, if you have consulted a classmate and you need
clarification, I will help you out. Additionally, do not wait too long to contact me if you have missed multiple
class meetings due to illness or other pressing concerns. Be prompt and proactive.
Electronic Devices in the Classrooms:
Please remember to turn off all cell phones, iPods, laptops, etc. before entering the classroom (off meaning that
the power is off and not on vibrate). While I enjoy listening to my iPod too, this is not the place to do so. I reserve
the right to answer any personal device that rings or vibrates while class is in session and/or turn it off myself. I
have also been known to give very mean looks to any person who disrupts the class in this manner and to ask
students to leave class and not return until the following class session. If you are asked to leave, please know I am
not making the request to gain your attention and you will be counted absent for that class. Please leave the
classroom peacefully and return the following class ready to respect your classmates’ (and my) time and space.
WebCT and Turnitin.com:
We will be using both WebCT and Turnitin.com in this class; therefore, you will be required to have regular
access to the internet.
You will access primary and supplementary materials for this class on WebCT, post responses to the class
readings weekly in the discussion section of the site, and organize with your groups regarding peer-reviews and
group assignments. You can access our course WebCT homepage by logging into your Atlas account or
online.valenciacc.edu. In abidance with FERPA and with respect to your colleagues right to privacy, you may not allow
your parents or anyone else to sign in to or operate your WebCT account. If you do so, I am obliged to discontinue your
access.
You will submit your final draft for each core assignment to Turnitin.com. Failure to turn you assignment to
Turnitin.com before midnight on the due date will result in failure for the final draft of the assignment
paper. No exceptions! You are responsible for setting up, accessing, and maintaining your accounts.
A Note about Wikipedia and Other Internet Sources:
While Wikipedia and the like can be great starting sources, such sites are terrible breeding grounds for biased
and/or false information. Doing a search for bands who initiated the punk rock scene will provide you with
information you may need to begin your search, for example, giving you names of bands, venues, and a timeline
of events and developments within the music genre. But, once you’ve found your key word information on these
sites, you must move on to more scholarly resources for the information you provide in your paper. These sources
are considered illegitimate in an academic setting will not be accepted as academic sources within your written
work. Please also note: If I discover that you have copied text from the internet (from Wikipedia, a blog, IMDB,
etc.) into your paper, presenting it as your own work, you will automatically fail this course!
I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone
has printed gibberish all
over it and put your name at the top. ~English Professor (Name Unknown),
Ohio University
Plagiarism:
Write your own papers. I expect that ideas presented as your writing in your writing assignments were authored
by you and that all outside sources have been cited properly. I have ZERO tolerance for plagiarism. Any
assignment that shows signs of plagiarism will receive a grade of zero. Plagiarism can also result in earning an
“F” in the course and/or being withdrawn from the course. The full policy is posted in each classroom.
Plagiarism is the use of the words or ideas of another without proper acknowledgement, whether or not that use is
intentional or unintentional. Please know: committing an act of plagiarism (no matter how minor) is grounds for
failure in this course and potential expulsion from Valencia Community College.
It's not plagiarism - I'm recycling words, as any good environmentally
conscious writer would do. ~Uniek Swain
Academic Honesty Policy Number 6Hx28:10-16:
All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited at Valencia Community College. Academic dishonesty includes,
but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, furnishing false information, forgery, alteration or misuse of
documents, misconduct during a testing situation, and misuse of identification with intent to defraud or deceive.
All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the students' individual thoughts, research, and selfexpression. Whenever a student uses ideas, wording, or organization from another source, the source shall be
appropriately acknowledged.
Students shall take special notice that the assignment of course grades is the responsibility of the students'
individual professor. When the professor has reason to believe that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred,
and before sanctions are imposed, the student shall be given informal notice and an opportunity to be heard by the
professor. Any student determined by the professor to have been guilty of engaging in an act of academic
dishonesty shall be liable to a range of academic penalties as determined by the professor which may include, but
not be limited to, one or more of the following: loss of credit for an assignment, examination, or project; a
reduction in the course grade; or a grade of "F" in the course. At the option of the professor, the campus provost
may be furnished with written notification of the occurrence and the action taken. If such written notice is given,
a copy shall be provided to the student. Students guilty of engaging in a gross or flagrant act of academic
dishonesty or repeated instances of academic dishonesty shall also be subject to administrative and /or
disciplinary penalties which may include warning, probation, suspension and / or expulsion from the College.
Student Code of Classroom Conduct – Student Code of Classroom Conduct Policy Number: 6Hx28:10-18:
Activities which disrupt classroom setting and which are in violation of this Student Code of Classroom Conduct
are those which, with or without intent to do so, are disruptive of the essence of the educational process. Faculty
members are authorized to define, communicate, and enforce appropriate standards of decorum in classrooms,
offices, and other instructional areas under their supervision. In the case of the violation of the Student Code of
Classroom Conduct, the faculty member may initiate personal conferences, verbal and written warnings, referral
to the director of student services for counseling, and removal from the classroom pending disciplinary action
under policy 6Hx28:10-04. Examples of such disruptive or distracting activities include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• Activities that are inconsistent with commonly acceptable classroom behavior and which are not conducive
to the learning experience, such as: tardiness, leaving and returning during class, and early departure when not
previously authorized;
• Activities that violate previously prescribed classroom guidelines or constitute an unreasonable interruption
of the learning process;
• Side discussions which are irrelevant to the subject matter of the class, that distract from the learning
process, or impede, hinder, or inhibit the ability of other students to obtain the full benefit of the educational
presentation; and,
• Utterances of "fighting words" or epithets directed specifically toward other persons with the purpose or
effect of creating a hostile educational environment or which may reasonably be expected to incite imminent
or immediate violence.
Violation of the Student Code of Classroom Conduct shall constitute grounds for student disciplinary action as
provided in Policy 6Hx28:10-04.
Withdrawal Policy
During a first attempt or a second attempt in the same course, if you withdraw or are withdrawn by your professor
before the specified withdrawal deadline, you will receive a W (Withdrawn). After the specified deadline, if you
withdraw or are withdrawn by your professor, your professor will assign you either a WP (Withdrawn Passing based upon the last date of attendance) or a WF (Withdrawn Failing - based upon the last date of attendance). If
you do not withdraw and fail to take the required final examination, the professor will assign you a WF
(Withdrawn Failing). Please refer to the College catalog for more details.
Disability Statement:
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office
for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first
two weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on
appropriate documentation of disabilities (East Campus, Bldg. 5 Rm 216, 407/ 582-2229).
Atlas Policy:
In order to minimize the risk of computer-virus transfers, I will only open student e-mail when the source of that
e-mail is a student's Atlas account.
Please regularly check your Atlas account for excessive absence notices, grade warnings, instructor emails,
etc.
VCC Compentencies:
Think, Value, Communicate, and Act are Valencia's core competencies. In this class, you will develop these four
cores through reading, viewing, online and face-to-face discussion, group work, writing, etc.
Course outcomes:
Think: As you engage with the literary texts we will be reading (fiction, drama, and poetry), you will be
asked to think critically and creatively about them. You will also have to apply and hone your skills of
analysis and synthesis as you evaluate and incorporate material from your experiences and opinions, the
original texts, and the literary crtitiques of scholars.
Value: Through the process of reading and writing about various literary works, you will gain an appreciation
of a variety of literature. Through class discussions and writing, you will also gain an understanding of and
appreciation for the opinions of others (peers, critics, etc.). You will also gain an appreciation for the
strengths of literary characters, others, and yourself.
Communicate: Through discussion, you will engage in thoughful dialogue with your peers and instructor
about the various texts we will read as well as yourself and charater analysis. You will also express your
opinions and integrate the opinions of others into your writings and share these with your peers. You will
communicate your research findings in written presentation. By doing so, you will enhance your learning and
that of others.
Act: You will take personal responsibility for your own learning, work, collegial attitude, and behavior and
participate fully and to the best of your ability in the learning environment.
Additional Information and Requirements:
I highly suggest frequent visits to The Writing Center (Bldg. 4). This will highlight our commitment to
collaboration, rewriting, rethinking, and re-vision, and hopefully you will gain some new and useful insight
regarding your own writing processes and topics.
And please, if you are having difficulty in this course, make an appointment speak with me. Your success is the
reason I am here. At the same time, please come with some ideas formulated in your mind about the issues you
are having or the material you are not grasping instead of staring at me blankly and saying “I don’t know what to
write on” or “I’m just not a good writer.” No one is asking you to be a good writer but rather to write well, and
while I sympathize with writer’s block and any lack of confidence in your writing that you might have, my
sympathy will not get you a better grade.
Disclaimers:
I reserve the right to change the syllabus and/or schedule at any time during the semester. Any amendments to the
above policies will be made on an individual basis at my discretion.
Whining and bellyaching will be frowned upon. Refusal to participate in class or WebCT discussions will be
viewed as apathetic behavior. Actively participating in your own success in this course is the only way to achieve
that success.
Actions taken regarding disruptive behavior, including asking a student to leave due to talking, ringing and/or
vibrating cell phones, or any other inappropriate and/or unnecessary interruption of class, should not be taken
personally as they are only implemented to guarantee the rights of all students in my classroom to a respectful
environment and an impediment free educational experience.
A
S S I G N M E N T S
Essay I – Argument/Textual Analysis
An argument analysis is a piece of writing through which one evaluates the implicit and explicit factors of a particular
argument(s). The writer provides an explanation that encompasses an understanding of the argument, the intended
audience, and the assumptions/implications of the argument found in a text. In addition, the writer’s analysis of the
argument is directed toward a specific audience of its own, and the purpose for addressing that particular audience is
clear throughout the analysis. Finally, as the author of an argument analysis, you will be required to contextualize your
selected text within a specific, recognizable framework in such a way that enhances your ability to provide an informed
analysis of that issue, using critical thinking and interpretation to find patterns of meaning. Please note: the use of
critical in this class is used to indicate a college-appropriate level of analysis and synthesis and should not be confused
with the word “criticism.”
Length: 2-3 pages
Essay II – Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography provides specific information about the sources that you will use to write your final
research paper. As a researcher, you will become an expert on your topic. You will also be able to provide essential
information to those unfamiliar with your topic such as whether a source is valuable, biased, fact-based, empirical
knowledge, quantitative, qualitative, etc. Think of your paper as part of a conversation with others interested in the
same things you are; the annotated bibliography allows you to tell readers what to check out, what might be worth
checking out in some situations, and what might not be worth spending the time on. It's kind of like providing a list of
good movies for your classmates to watch and then going over the list with them, telling them why this movie is better
than that one or why one student in your class might like a particular movie better than another student would. You
want to give your audience enough information to understand basically what the movies are about and to make an
informed decision about where to spend their money based on their interests.
Length: 4-5 pages
Essay III – Creative Positioning
The creative positioning project allows the researcher to continue the investigation of a topic using secondary sources.
During this process, the researcher listens to and acknowledges other view points and experiences that surround the
topic. For the first part of the project, the researcher articulates others’ positions in a fair, unbiased manner by
analyzing the arguments and providing multiple sides an equal voice within her or his project. Once you have
completed the first part of this assignment, you will then think about how each source will be used in your final essay
to support your thesis. As the final product, you will submit an essay that integrates and evaluates those other view
points and merges your perspective with the sources you have chosen. As either an observer or active participant, you
will be required to place the issue within a larger historical or cultural context. Please note: You must use 3-4 sources
with varying and comparable viewpoints.
Length: 3-4 pages
Essay IV – Textual Analysis of an Argument:
Academic argument papers voice the opinions of reliable individuals and groups that share a common concern. An
academic argument takes into consideration a social or political pattern, sets it within an appropriate context, provides
an analysis based on the writer’s informed opinion, and supports that opinion by contextualizing it within the
appropriate academic community. As the author, you will target a specific audience, synthesize and integrate the
results of your primary and secondary research, apply documentation skills, eliminate non-workable arguments, and
focus on viable solutions. You will also be required to place the issue within a larger historical or cultural context.
Keeping up with the steps of the research paper is imperative. You will be up to your ears in work if you wait
until the last minute to complete the assignment. No part of the research paper can be skipped.
Length: 7-8 pages
* YOUR GRADE ON EACH ESSAY ASSIGNMENT DEPENDS ON A COMBINATION OF DRAFTING, THINKING, WRITING, AND
SPEAKING. FOR EACH CORE ASSIGNMENT, YOU WILL COMPILE YOUR WORK (DRAFTS, GROUP EVALUATIONS,
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS, YOUR FINAL DRAFT, ETC) IN A PORTFOLIO FOLDER (NOT A THREE RING BINDER!). THOUGH
YOUR INDIVIDUAL DRAFTS WILL NOT BE GRADED, YOUR OVERALL CORE PROJECT GRADE WILL REFLECT THE
THINKING, WRITING, AND REWRITING DONE DURING THAT ASSIGNMENT PERIOD.
J
O U R N A L S
A journal is a collection of thoughts that are critically engaged with a set of texts read on a particular topic
and/or during specific time.
A reading journal can be used to help make connections between texts and to mark intriguing
points or particular questions that might arise while reading. You will be required to 1) provide
documentation and in-text citations, 2) write a substantial response (i.e. 2 paragraphs with 5-6 sentences
each) to each reading in this class on the appropriate WebCT discussion board prior to the class meeting in
which we discuss that text, and 3) engage (with at least 1 paragraph of 4-5 sentences) with two of your peers
posts before the next scheduled reading as part of your reading journal assignment. Your grade will depend
on your level of engagement with the course material, your analysis of that material, and your responses to
your peers. Please print out your original post and your responses and place them in a reading journal. Bring
your reading journal to every class meeting. It is not only a valuable tool for class discussion but also will be
collected randomly throughout the semester for grading purposes.
Reading Journal:
Research Journal: A
research journal is used to help you organize your research and keep a record of ideas
you have during the research, drafting, and editing processes. You will hand in your research journal with
your final core project, the academic argument research paper. Each entry, article, note, or other annotation
in your research journal should be dated and indexed.
Your reflection journal will consist of a number of your own reflections regarding the
writing process during each essay assignment and your final drafts of your essays. Each reflection journal
response needs to be typed and should thoroughly answer all of the questions assigned for the corresponding
core project. You will hand in your reflection journal with your “Writing Reflection Portfolio” at the end of
the semester.
Reflection Journal:
At the end of the semester, you should have a minimum of 66 reading journal posts (1 for each day a reading or set
of readings is assigned and your two peer response posts), at least 25 research journal entries, and 5 reflection
journal responses (one for each essay/project completed in this course). To receive full credit for each journal, your
journal posts, entries, and responses must be: correctly formatted, correspond to standards for academic
writing, and exhibit the extent of effort and thought required for “A” papers in this course.
Writing Reflection Portfolio
For this assignment, you will compile your four final drafts and the corresponding reflection responses for
each draft. Providing an analysis of your own writing, you will examine how your writing has developed
over the course of the semester and the aspects that you could work toward improving throughout your
academic career. This is mostly a creative project, but I would encourage you to review and engage your
initial core drafts and your journals in the creation of this project.
As this is a creative assignment and thus requires use of your imagination, I will give you no specific format
to follow other than the minimal requirements outlined above. Students in the past have made videos, picture
boxes containing collections of images and descriptions of particular aspects of this course that allowed them
to “analyze” those images, booklets of poetry, formal college essays, collages with a short piece of writing to
explain the significance of images within the collage, scrapbooks of notes I have scribbled in margins with
explanations regarding how those comments helped them develop their writing skills, and DVD’s of sounds
and images accompanied by a student’s own voice explaining the significance of each.
Although this is a creative project, please remember that you will be graded on the effort you put into it and
the analytical skills you implement in examining your own development across the course in terms of
writing, thinking, reading, and advanced, college-level ideas. Note: If your project is large (i.e. if you use
standard poster board or otherwise bulky and/or heavy material), you will deliver your project to specified
location TBD.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY READINGS
Week 3: 9/14-9/16
Mon: Writing Center Orientation/Research in Library
Wed: Wheatley, Phillis. “On Being Brought from Africa to America. 900 (1773)
Whitman, Walt. [I celebrate myself, and sing myself]. 656 (1885)
Week 4: 9/21-9/23 – Essay 1 Due Wednesday
Mon: Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” 513- (1891)
Wed: Millay, Edna. St. Vincent. [I being born a woman and distressed]. 655 (1923)
Week 5: 9/28-9/30
Mon: Johnson, James Weldon. from The Book of American Negro Poetry 924-26 (1921)
Wed: Hurston, Zora Neal. “How It Feels to be Colored Me.” 938-41 (1928)
Week 6: 10/5-10/7
Mon: Cultural and historical Contexts: The Harlem Renaissance 906-16
Hughes, Langston. “I, Too.” 921 (1932)
Wed: Hughes, Langston. From The Big Sea. 941-46 (1940)
Week 7: 10/12-10/14 – Essay 2 Due Wednesday
Mon: Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” (1) 1556-1621 (1949)
Wed: Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” (2) 1556-1621 (1949)
Week 8: 10/19-10/21
Mon: Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” (3) 1556-1621 (1949)
Wed: Midterm Exam
Week 9: 10/26-10/28
Mon: Brooks, Gwendolyn. “We Real Cool.” 655 (1950)
Hayden, Robert. “Frederick Douglass.” 821 (1966)
Wed: Sexton, Anne. “The Fury of Overshoes.” 606-607 (1974)
Ortiz, Simon. “The Significance of Veteran’s Day.” 243 (1976)
Week 10: 11/2-11/4
Mon: Erdrich, Louise. “Love Medicine.” 327-42. (1982)
Wed: Allen, Paula Gunn. “Los Angeles, 1980.” (1982)
Kincaid, Jamaica. “Girl.” 456-57 (1983)
Week 11: 11/9-11/11
Mon: Olds, Sharon. “The Victims.” 764-65 (1984)
Wed: Mora, Pat. “Elena.” 635 (1985)
Laviera, Tato. “AmeRican.” (1985)
Week 12: 11/16-11/18 – Essay 3 Due Wednesday
Mon: Ali, Agha Shahid. “Postcard from Kashmir.” 634 (1985)
Declue, Charlotte. “Dialectic.” (1989)
Wed: Mora, Pat. “La Migra.” 653 (1993)
Week 13: 11/23-11/25
Mon: Diaz, Juno. “Ysrael” and “Drown” (1996)
Wed: Research Day
Week 14: 11/30-12/2
Mon: Inada, Fusao. “Drawing the Line.” (1997)
Wed: Lahiri, Jhumpa. “Interpreter of Maladies.” 284-298 (1999)
Week 15: 12/7-12/9
Mon: Giovanni, Nikki. “Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea: We’re Going to Mars.” (2002)
Wed: Peer Editing Workshops
Week 16: 12/14-12/16 – Essay 4 Due Wednesday
R E A D I N G
A S S I G N M E N T
D U E
D A T E S
Class Readings: Each week's scheduled reading assignments are to be completed before our class meeting time on the day the
reading(s) is assigned.
WebCT Discussion Posts: Your WebCT discussion posts should be posted prior to our class meetings and display your thorough
engagement with and comprehension of the class readings for that week, offer insightful ideas regarding the material, and engage
in applying those ideas to other situations or circumstances on local, national, and eventually global scales.