1 English 3: Composition, Rhetoric, and Language “CONVENTIONS” “Conventionality is not morality.” — Charlotte Brontë (Preface to Jane Eyre 2nd ed.) Fall 2013: Mondays & Wednesdays 8am-­‐9:15am, Humanities A68, Section 41 Instructor: Alex Milsom Email: alexandramilsom@gmail.com Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 9:30-­‐10:30am Office: Humanities 130 Office Phone: 310.206.2379 Class Website: ccle.ucla.edu Mailbox: Humanities 146 Required Texts: Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference, 7th edition. ISBN: 978-­‐0312601478 Maasik, Sonia and Jack Solomon. Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers, 7th edition. ISBN: 978-­‐
0312647001. Course Description: In this course, we will be examining “conventions” (“how things are usually done or thought of”) on two levels. First, since this is a writing course, we will be examining the “conventions” that govern writing itself. Knowing these conventions will make it easier for you to write clear, persuasive arguments in all of your college courses. Second, the readings listed below and the topics these readings raise will force us, as scholars and critical thinkers, to examine conventions surrounding issues of nationality, gender, and race as constructed by media and popular culture. As we examine “convention,” we will inevitably look at “subversion,” the reaction against, or undermining of, convention. English 3 is designed to help train and formalize your critical thinking skills, your ability to analyze and write on a collegiate level, and your capacity to serve as an editor for your own writing as well as for the writing of your peers. In addition to learning the accepted conventions of academic writing and rhetoric, you will also be expected engage in an intensive writing process that will include pre-­‐writing, organizing ideas and resources, editing, revising, and collaboration. As such, in order to succeed and reap the benefits of this rigorous course, you will have to stay on top of your assignments. Essays: You are required to write three essays (1250-­‐1750 words). Essay assignments will also include drafts that will be due approximately a week and a half before the essay’s final revision. You will bring 3 hard copies (non-­‐electronic) of that draft to class on that day for peer review. Peer review is an essential component of our workshop-­‐model class. The process involves working collaboratively with your fellow students on your papers by developing a supportive writing community. You are expected to revise your draft before submitting the final copy. Submission of your final draft will be online through MyUCLA Turnitin (http://my.ucla.edu) before 10:00PM on the day the essay is due. Essay format: 12-­‐pt. font, double-­‐spaced, 1-­‐inch margins; cite all sources using MLA citations; include a Works Cited page. Late assignments: For each day an assignment is late, one-­‐third of a letter-­‐grade will be subtracted from your grade. (A “B” assignment one day late will receive a “B-­‐.”) If the assignment is more than one week late, it automatically receives an “F” per departmental policy. This policy applies to your revisions, drafts, and reading log as well. 2 Reading Log: Because the best way to become a better writer is to write often, you will keep a reading log. I expect you to have at least one entry (of at least 250 words) for every class for which we have readings assigned. I will be providing you with prompts for these entries, but you are also welcome to use the opportunity to explore your own thoughts and ideas about the text. You will submit your assignments on the course website (on ccle.ucla.edu) before class. An assignment submitted during or after class will be considered late (and thus will be subject to the late assignment policy above). Please remember to type your assignment and then copy & paste it into the website. Sometimes servers crash, sometimes errors occur, and sometimes you lose your work. Always make sure you have saved your writing somewhere before putting it online. No technical excuses will be accepted for late assignments. Participation: The materials selected for this course should promote lively discussions and active participation! Enjoy the readings and come to every class prepared to share your perspective and try out your own ideas. There will be occasional pop quizzes and in-­‐class writing assignments that cannot be made up outside of class. If you alert me in advance about expected absences, or if you email me to let me know you are ill, I will accommodate you accordingly. You are responsible, however, for getting notes or materials that you missed from a classmate. I am requiring that you purchase Hacker and Sommer’s A Writer’s Reference so that you all share have a common reference for learning the conventions of academic writing. As part of your participation grade, I will be assigning you exercises from the book on an individual basis as needed. A NOTE ON PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism or academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. UCLA’s Office of the Dean defines plagiarism as follows: Grade Breakdown: “Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of another's words or ideas as if they Essay 1 (1250 words, 5pages) 20% were one's own, including, but not limited to, representing, either with the intent to deceive or by the omission of the true source, part of or an entire work produced by someone other Essay 2 (1500 words, 6 pages) 25% than the student, obtained by purchase or otherwise, as the student's original work or Essay 3 (1750 words, 7 pages) 30% representing the identifiable but altered ideas, data, or writing of another person as if those Reading Log 10% ideas, data, or writing were the student's original work.” Participation 15% (http://www.deanofstudents.ucla.edu/assets/documents/StudentCC.pdf) If an essay or other work is suspected of plagiarism, by department policy it m ust be reported immediately to the Dean of Students. As a check on the proper use of sources, you will submit both the drafts and final versions of your essays to Turnitin (accessed through your course list on My.UCLA). You’ll receive further instructions soon. If you have any questions about when or how to document your sources, feel free to ask me at any time or consult A Writer’s Reference. For further information about plagiarism and how to avoid it, consult the Dean of Students’ website: (http://www.deanofstudents.ucla.edu/Before%20You%Begin%That%20Paper.htm). Tutoring Resources: The Student Writing Center (A61 Humanities, Powell 228, Reiber 115) offers UCLA undergraduates one-­‐on-­‐one sessions that address individual writing issues. The Center is staffed by peer learning facilitators (PLFs), undergraduates trained to help at any stage in the writing process and with writing assignments from across the curriculum. Students can walk in but appointments are preferred. For more information, call 310-­‐206-­‐1320 or visit www.wp.ucla.edu and click on “Student Writing Center/Make an Appointment.” Academic Advancement Program (AAP) students can also use AAP Tutorials (1114 Campbell Hall, 206-­‐1581). More information about this program is also available on our course’s CCLE site. Academic Advancement Program (AAP) students are welcome to visit AAP Tutorials (1114 Campbell Hall, 206-­‐1581). Students with Disabilities: If you wish to request an accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Office for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible at A255 Murphy Hall, 310-­‐825-­‐1501, 310-­‐206-­‐6083 (telephone for the deaf). Website: www.osd.ucla.edu. COURSE SCHEDULE Page numbers refer to readings in Signs of Life. Readings followed by an asterisk (*) can be found on the course website. UNIT 1 -­‐ Creating the “American” Identity: Consumption WEEK 1 Mon 9/30 Writing process overview, Diagnostic essay Objective: What is this course about? Wed 10/2 Read: “Freaks, Geeks, and Cool Kids” (Milner 602), “One Nation…” (Brooks 524) Objective: What is pre-­‐writing? What is a rough draft? WEEK 2 Mon 10/7 Read: “Bright-­‐Sided” (Ehrenreich 532), “The More Factor” (Shames 90) Objective: What is an argument? Wed 10/9 Read: “The Party of Work” (Brooks),* “The Semiotics…” (Kron 128), “Consuming Passions” (81) Objective: What is a fallacious argument? WEEK 3 Mon 10/14 Read: “Masters of Desire” (Solomon 542), “Purification through Simplification” (Japp & Japp 553) Objective: What counts as evidence? Wed 10/16 Bring 3 copies of Essay 1 Draft to class. Submit 1 copy to Turnitin before class. Objective: What is peer-­‐review? WEEK 4 Mon 10/21 Read: “The Science of Shopping” (Gladwell) Bring 1 copy of Essay 1 Draft to class for small-­‐ group read aloud. (You will read your paper aloud to your editing group as a way to find last-­‐minute mistakes.) Objective: How do I revise my paper? Wed 10/23 Read: “Teen ‘Haulers’ Become a Fashion Force” (Chang) Objective: What are common college-­‐writing mistakes? Friday 10/25 Essay #1 due in Humanities 146 and via Turnitin.com – 4pm sharp UNIT 2 — Breaking down the “American” Identity: Gender WEEK 5 Mon 10/28 Read: “Brought to you B(u)y” (117), “Men’s Men” (Craig 187), “I Won. I’m Sorry.” (Nelson 569) Objective: How do I structure a paragraph? An essay? Wed 10/30 Read: “Dove’s Real Beauty” (Pozner 219), “OKCupid User Pretends to be Hot Girl” (Zimmerman)* Objective: How do I write a good argument? — Thesis Brainstorming Workshop WEEK 6 Mon 11/4 Read: “All Camped Out” (Koganzon 326), “Batman, Deviance” (Medhurst 331) Objective: What issues arose in the 1st paper? 3 4 Wed 11/6 WEEK 7 Mon 11/11 Wed 11/13 Bring 3 copies of Essay 2 Draft to class. Submit 1 copy to Turnitin before class. Objective: Grammar Lesson 1 (commas and run-­‐ons) then Peer Review NO CLASS – VETERAN’S DAY Read: “My Big Fat Straight Wedding” (Sullivan 691) Objective: How do I write good transitions? Essay #2 due in Humanities 146 and via Turnitin.com – 4pm sharp Friday 11/15 UNIT 3 — Breaking down the “American” Identity: Race WEEK 8 Mon 11/18 Read: “The Hollywood Sign” (365), “Acting White” (Buck 637), “In Living Color” (Omi 625) Objective: How do I write introductions and conclusions? Wed 11/21 Read: “Asian Women in Film” (Hagedorn 397), “An Idiot’s Guide to India” (Sawhney 405) Objective: Grammar Lesson 2 (analytical and active verbs) WEEK 9 Mon 11/25 Bring 3 copies of Essay 3 Draft to class. Submit 1 copy to Turnitin before class. Objective: Peer Review Wed 11/27 Read: “Creating the Myth” (Seger 387), “The Offensive Movie Cliché That Won’t Die” (Seitz 407) Objective: How do I revise for clarity? WEEK 10 Mon 12/2 Read: “Race Relations Light Years from Earth” (Sengupta 412) Objective: Grammar Lesson 3 (based on common issues in previous papers) Wed 12/4 Final course celebration FINALS WEEK Mon 12/9 Essay #3 due in Humanities 146 and via Turnitin.com – 4pm sharp *Posted on course website (http://ccle.ucla.edu)