Western New England College
First Year Student
Summer Reading Assignment
Fall 2006
Overview
In the mission statement of the College, integrated liberal and professional learning is one of the defining
characteristics of an education at Western New England College. Central to the resulting intellectual
challenge is the notion that being able to define and support an idea from multiple perspectives is the
catalyst for true understanding and thereby defines a truly educated person.
College is a place of ideas, a place where ideas can be creatively and critically reviewed, challenged and
rediscovered. Each person carries with him or her what the business entrepreneur dreams, what the
musician brings to a blank score, what an engineer envisions in a design, what the actor projects on the
stage or what the author drafts to the written page. The lifetime of personal experience propels us to think
and feel, critically and reflectively, about ourselves and the world with which we interact. These multiple
perspectives can and do lead to debate that is intrinsically rewarding. The selection of Mountains Beyond
Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Could Cure The World as the summer reading
offers every opportunity to generate that kind of scholarly discourse.
The author of Mountains Beyond Mountains critically examines the life of how one man chose to break
with conversation, follow his ideals and put his heart and energy into a lofty goal of curing the world. So,
as you read, go beyond the surface of the page. Examine each idea, test those ideas against what you
already know and reflect on whether what you thought you understood is in any way changed. This
assignment is not just about reading a book; it is about examining ideas with which you may agree or
disagree. You should discover that careful reading is not a one-time exercise; you may want to read the
book twice, looking the second time for how Kidder arrived at his conclusions. You should be able to
summarize the author’s assertions through the identification of how each idea is supported. Once
determined, decide whether or not you agree. It is not enough to have an opinion. How and why opinions
are formed is the real thinking that leads to personal discovery.
If there are any questions related to the summer reading assignment, please contact Dean Zern, Dean of
Freshman and Transfer Students. Good luck with your first college assignment.
Kidder, Tracy. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World. New York: Random
House, Inc., 2004.
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Part I: Strategies for Critical Reading Assignment
Common Directions for English Composition I
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World tells the true
story of one man’s commitment to bring quality health care to the world’s poorest communities. Author Tracy
Kidder guides students through many physical and philosophical journeys with Dr. Farmer, eloquently articulating
Farmer’s mission of correcting the inequities and epidemics that plague the poorest people. These journeys with Dr.
Farmer constitute an adventure story focused on critical moral issues.
You may find that some of Kidder’s assertions counter your view of the topic. Or, the book may prompt you to
question some long held assumptions, or it may awaken in you new ways of thinking. As you follow this book,
watch for how Kidder advances his view. Even consider the title. Question what it means in the context of the
culture it comes from, and what does it mean in relation to Farmer’s work?
Be an ACTIVE reader. QUESTION WHAT KIDDER SAYS. Do you agree or disagree? Does he “make his case”?
As you detect significant issues and/or themes, or as you have a reaction to something that you read, write notes in
the margin and highlight passages that support your observations. We think that becoming a discerning reader is a
significant part of being an educated person.
The summer reading selection, Mountains Beyond Mountains, is used by all English composition faculty as a
starting point for discussion, research, and writing. Students will be required to write at least one in-class essay
based on the summer reading, so it is important to read the entire book before the summer ends. The first in- class
essay becomes a part of the student’s writing portfolio and serves as a benchmark against which other essays are
measured.
As you begin the book, consider the following two prompts developed by Heather Kelly at Columbia University.
These might serve to elicit the kind of reflection necessary for critical reading.
1. Kidder opens Mountains Beyond Mountains with an account of a discussion between Paul Farmer and a
U.S. army captain who was commanding a small peacekeeping force in Haiti. Farmer and the captain
initially discuss a recent murder case in the area, and then move on to discuss the role of the U.S. in
Haiti. While the U.S. Army troops had been stationed in Haiti to reinstate the country’s democratically
elected government and to curb political violence, some of the soldiers were cynical about the effects of
their presence in the country. In his reflections on the work of the soldiers, Kidder acknowledges that he
shared the soldiers’ pessimism, believing that they “had done their best” and that they “would not cry
over things beyond their control” in Haiti (page 8). Why do you think that Kidder opens his book with
this scene?
2. Most of Tracy Kidder’s other books are not written in the first-person voice. Why do you think he chose
to write Mountains Beyond Mountains from a first-person perspective? In what ways would the book be
different if it were written in the third-person perspective?
3. WRITE NOTES TO YOURSELF IN THE MARGIN AND HIGHLIGHT OR TAB PASSAGES. Ask
yourself if Kidder makes his purpose clear. Jot some notes and page references. Was there anything that
surprised you? Did the book alter your perceptions or attitudes?
4. LOOK AT THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS in the back of the book. Write some notes and bring these
and your book to your first English class.
5. ABOVE ALL, DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! Finish your reading with enough
time for reflection. Come prepared to your first English Composition class for discussion.
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Part II: First Year Seminar Reflection Paper Assignment Directions
According to section enrollment of First Year Seminar, select one of the five writing prompts through which to examine
your understanding of the claims laid out in Kidder’s book. All the selected prompts were adapted from a teaching guide
compiled by Heather Kelly at Columbia University. Use a single selected prompt to stimulate reflections drawn from the
reading. Whichever prompt is selected, do not hesitate to go beyond the parameters of the book. What is important is
that you develop a carefully reasoned opinion supported by specific references from the reading. You can use your own
experiences or outside sources to further document your response.
Writing Prompts (Choose Any Prompt Unless Specifically Indicated Below)
1. Paul Farmer had a very unusual upbringing in Massachusetts, Alabama, and Florida. What specific elements
from his childhood and family life prepared Farmer for his current life? How has your upbringing influenced
your own choices and goals in life?
2. Farmer’s philosophy is at odds with standard notions of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. His approach to
public health care has drawn criticism because it is not perceived to be cost-effective. For instance, one critic
commented that the $20,000 spent on transporting a sick Haitian child to Boston for treatment could have been
better spent on other things, like supplies or drugs for many other children (page 287). What is his response to
these arguments? What factors do you think are most important in making such decisions about how money
should be spent on public health programs?
3. Many people in Cange believe Paul Farmer “works with both hands,” meaning that he works both with science
and with the magic necessary to remove Voodoo curses (page 27). How did he learn about the role of Voodoo
in the lives of the residents of Cange? How does Farmer interpret the continuing presence of Voodoo in modern
Haitian life?
4. In the final paragraph of the book, Kidder makes a reference to the time he spent with the American soldiers
before he met Paul Farmer and how he regarded the plight of the suffering people. In what ways have Kidder’s
viewpoints changed since first meeting Farmer? How did your own perception of Farmer’s life and work
change, if it did, as you read the book?
5. What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have toward people in poor countries? How
has reading this account of Paul Farmer’s work changed your ideas about your responsibility or obligations
toward people who are poorer financially than you are? What do you think is the best way to express or act on
this sense of responsibility?
The paper should be not less than 3 pages but no more than 4 pages. All papers are to be double spaced using no larger
than 12 point font and no larger than 1” margins. Use standard word processing software, preferably WORD. A title page
is suggested. Any and all references are to be properly cited using either MLA or APA format. All writing assignments
are due on the first day of class for those sections of First Year Seminar listed below. Expect assignments to be graded
according to individually determined weight for the assignment, i.e. calculated by the specific seminar instructor. If a
section of FYS is not listed, no reflection paper is currently required
Note carefully whether the section of First Year Seminar in which you are enrolled requires a writing assignment. If no
specific reference is listed below, the summer reading assignment is limited to the active reading assignment described in
Part I. All papers are due on the first day of class. Be sure to have both a paper version and an electronic version. Some
sections may require one or the other, or both.
First Year Seminar Sections Requiring a Paper
LA 100-01
LA 100-03
LA 100-07
LA 100-09
LA 100-11
LA 100-15
LA 100-17
LA 100-19(writing prompt #2)
LA 100-21
LA 100-23
LA 100-25
LA 100-29
LA 100-31(writing prompt #5)
LA 100-33
LA 100-34(writing prompt #5)
LA 100-35
LA 100-37
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BUS 101-03
BUS 101-05
BUS 101-07
BUS 101-09
BUS 101-11
BUS 101-15
BUS 101-17
ENGR 102-01 (writing prompt #2)
ENGR 102-03 (writing prompt #2)
ENGR 102-05 (writing prompt #2)
ENGR 102-07 (writing prompt #2)
ENGR 102-09 (writing prompt #2)
ENGR 102-11 (writing prompt #2)
Summer Reading Assignment Supplementary Information
Valuing Academic Integrity
One of the cornerstones of any academic community is the preservation and promotion of intellectual
property. Simply defined, honesty in all academic work is expected of every student. A student should
never submit nor receive credit for work that is not the result of his or her own effort and thought.
Affixing a name to an assignment, even work that is collaborative, means that the person is certifying that
he/she has not knowingly or unknowingly borrowed, used, or otherwise referenced the ideas of others
without giving proper credit. Most colleges and universities feel so strongly about academic integrity that
penalties for violation are severe. At Western New England College, sanctions range from a failing grade
to dismissal from the College.
In the context of writing and oral communication, plagiarism is the most common breach of integrity. It
involves taking the ideas or works of another source and leading others to believe that these ideas are the
author’s own. Plagiarism is not just copying word for word; it also includes paraphrasing (restating the
content in one’s own words without acknowledging the source). Plagiarism could also be construed
within the context of letting others use a paper, giving substantial help to another without authorization,
making up data or sources that do not exist, or submitting the same paper in two different courses without
prior approval. Obviously, buying or taking papers from the internet is a gross violation of integrity
standards.
In the end, academic integrity is about character and accepting the responsibility of giving credit where
and when credit is due. When in doubt of whether a particular circumstance fits the limits of academic
integrity, it is best to ask.
General Tips to Protect Personal Integrity

At the beginning of each semester, ask each professor about his or her policy regarding
academic integrity

Act fairly. For example, do not seek an unfair advantage over others by using resources,
electronic or otherwise, unless specifically authorized.

Do not turn in the same work in more than one class unless permission is received in advance.

Unless directly authorized, do not collaborate with others on graded course work including
take home tests, papers and homework assignments.

Know what plagiarism is. When using the ideas or words of another, even if put in your own
words, cite the source. Stealing ideas is the same as stealing the words to express those ideas.

Know the professor’s policy. Ignorance is no excuse.
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SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
WRITING AND READING PROGRAM
MLA DOCUMENTATION STYLE
The Penguin Handbook by Lester Faigley is the English handbook that you will use in the fall. It explains in great
detail how to use the MLA documentation style. For this assignment we have excerpted the points that will be most
useful to you. Please remember that quotations AND/OR PARAPHRASES should be used to support a point
that you are making and that you should MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR WHERE TEXT IS YOUR
WORK AND WHERE IT IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF ANOTHER.
In-text citations of direct quotes or PARAPHRASES
There are 3 considerations for in-text citations:



Name the author either in a signal phrase such as Kidder maintains or in a parenthetical citation
(Kidder 24). If the author is named in the parentheses, there is no punctuation between the author’s
name and the page number. If you are paraphrasing and you do not use the signal phrase, make sure
that it is clear where you work stops and the source begins.
If you name the author in a signal phrase, include the page reference in parentheses; no “p.” precedes
the page number (24).
Place the citation as close to the material being cited as possible and before any punctuation marks such
as commas, semicolons, or periods that dived or end the sentence- except in a block quotation, where
the citation comes after the period [… “. (204-205)] You should rarely use block citations; the majority
of the paper should be your writing.
Examples
Direct quote with author named in signal phrase:
As Kidder explains, “if you’re making sacrifices…you’re trying to lessen some
psychic discomfort.” (24)
Paraphrase without the author named in the text:
If you’re making sacrifices, you’re trying to lesson some psychic discomfort”
(Kidder 24).
Works cited entry for a book with one author
MLA documentation style also requires a works cited page where readers can find full bibliographic
information about the sources that you have used. For a book with one author, as you can see in the example
below, the items are separated by periods; the author is listed last name first; the title is underlined; the publication
data lists the place, followed by a colon, then the company and the year separated by a comma. Only the city, not
the state, is included in the publication data.
Example
Kidder, Tracy. Mountains Beyond Mountains: the Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who
Would Cure the World. New York: Random House, Inc., 2004.
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SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
STANDARDS FOR GRADING ACADEMIC PAPERS/ANALYSES/PROPOSALS 1
Excellent/Very Good Papers (A,A-)
1. Fulfill the terms of the assignment completely. State conclusions clearly and thoughtfully. Have effectively stated
controlling ideas/theses. Have an intelligent and sophisticated degree of depth and complexity.
2. Contain full, specific, and appropriate facts, details, and examples to answer the question and/or provide support for the
controlling idea. Are well written: clear, coherent, and concise, in a style that is appropriate to the assignment and
rhetorically effective. Are engaging, organized, fluid, and very readable. Note and cite sources of information in an
appropriate way.
3. Use Standard American English (Hodges 775). Have correct punctuation, spelling, and mechanics and precise
sophisticated word choice. Exhibit varied sentence structure.
Good (better than average) papers (B+, B)
1. Fulfill the terms of the assignment and state conclusions in a thoughtful manner, but with less clarity and insight than in
the excellent rating. Have some intellectual sophistication. Develop and explore the implications of ideas. Have
controlling ideas/these with adequate depth and complexity.
2. Provide adequate substantiation for the controlling idea/thesis and sustain a train of thought clearly, coherently, and
logically. Are well organized and readable. May note sources of information inappropriately or inconsistently.
3. Use consistently correct punctuation, spelling, and mechanic and consistently precise/sophisticated word choice. Use
varied sentence structure and Standard American English consistently.
Acceptable (average) papers (B-, C+, C)
1. Address the assignment and have written conclusions. Are more general, without the precision and specificity of the better
papers. Have barely adequate depth and complexity in statements of thesis/controlling idea.
2. Provide some supporting information but do no develop ideas and arguments sufficiently. Have an identifiable
organization although it is not always clear and is sometimes difficult to follow. May not develop a train of thought or a
consistent argument. Are organized with logical progression, but lack unified paragraphs and/or transitions, or vice versa.
May contain irrelevant or marginally relevant material. Mention sources but with inadequate detail.
3. Show some weaknesses and/or errors in sentence structure and mechanic. Have usually correct punctuation, spelling and
mechanics. Usually use varied sentence structure, Standard American English, and precise word choice.
Marginal paper (C-, D+, D)
1. Do not adequately or appropriately fulfill terms of the assignment. Give vague answers/conclusions. Have poorly state
controlling ideas/theses or ones with minimal depth and complexity.
2. Have minimal supporting detail. Provide few specifics. Are imprecise. May lack basic information. Generally lack
organization or are loosely organized and/or difficult to follow. Lack significant evidence of logical progression,
transition, and/or unified paragraphs. Sources are inappropriate or non-existent.
3. Have many errors in sentence structure and mechanic. Have problems with clarity, awkwardness. Often use punctuation,
spelling, and mechanic and/or Standard American English incorrectly. Seldom use varied sentence structure and/or
precise word choice.
Very poor papers (F)
1. Do not fulfill the terms of the assignment. No answers or conclusions are given. Have apparent but unstated or simplistic
controlling ideas/theses.
2. Have poor logic and/or irrelevant detail. Lack effective unity and focus. Do no successfully develop ad illustrate a train of
thought or sustain and argument. Are incoherently organized (lack logical progression, unified paragraphs, transitions).
Sources usually are not mentioned.
3. Rarely use correct punctuation, spelling, mechanics, and Standard American English. Rarely use varied sentence structure
or precise/sophisticated word choice.
1
These standards assume the professional judgment of a faculty member.
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