Expository Writing
Hunter College – Spring 2014
English 120, Section 23
Andrew Laudel
EMAIL: al362@hunter.cuny.edu
HOURS: Mon & Wed 4:10-5:25
ROOM: 921 HE
OFFICE: 1238 HW
OFFICE HOURS: Wed 12-1 or by appointment
Overview:
Like Physics or History, writing is an academic discipline, an area where people ask questions and try to
find answers. Writing Studies focuses on the writing process and your relationship to it: why do you
write? How do you do it? What gets in your way, why, and how do you overcome those obstacles? What
can writing do? In this class, we will try to answer these questions. We will consider different ways of
looking at writing, and we will practice different kinds of writing. We will be writing and rewriting a lot
in this class, both for yourself and for web publication.
First, we will take a look at people who have developed strong processes for composing their own
writing. What do these processes look like? Do they work for us? What processes for creating writing do
you already have? Some people think of writing as the transfer of ideas already formed in your head onto
the blank page. Others see it as a process of growth and learning where you discover your thoughts by
attempting to work through them on the page. We will examine our own attitudes toward and history with
reading and writing by creating a personal literacy history. We will think about what it means to write to
learn about yourself. In doing so, we will strengthen our own writing processes. These processes will not
be “neat.” In fact, I will encourage you to make a mess: explore new ideas and take risks rather than
attempt to clearly organize your thinking right out of the gate.
Then we will consider writing as a tool that can be crafted to influence readers. Rhetoric, a way of
thinking about writing and speaking that can be traced back to ancient Greece, is a way to impact an
audience using the available means of persuasion. In reading and writing rhetorically, we will try to
understand what these means are in any given situation and how we can use them to most effectively
build an argument. We will deconstruct the arguments of others to better understand our available
choices. We will look beyond the written page to “read” and create visual texts. How do images, sound,
body language, and the spoken word work together to influence an audience?
We will enter into the academic conversation about writing. We will practice the methods of researchbased inquiry by asking and trying to answer questions you have about the writing process. We will read
and respond to the ideas of others that are relevant to your questions, and we will craft thesis statements
that attempt to answer these questions. We will work to support these theses with relevant and compelling
evidence.
Finally, we will play with different forms of creating content by studying and practicing multi-modal
composition. How do we create stories that combine textual, visual, and musical “modes” of writing? We
will move beyond the traditional boundaries of writing text for a teacher to read by making movies and
website portfolios that are published for a wider audience.
Course Readings: Our course readings are listed below. They all will be posted to
Blackboard. This will be a paperless class; all writing here will be digital.
Instead of a style and mechanics handbook, we will use Writing Commons, a “a free, comprehensive,
peer-reviewed, award-winning open text for students enrolled in college-level courses that require writing
and research.” It’s at http://writingcommons.org/
We will also use the Purdue/OWL guide to MLA format which is in PDF form in Blackboard and
available at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Course Goals:
1. Study, critique and practice different ways to see and use writing & rhetoric, including the persuasive
effects of writing on specific audiences, and the digital rhetorics of images, audio, voice, layout and color.
2. Cultivate a critical, reflective, and recursive approach to reading, writing and research that uses writing
to learn.
3. Collaborate with both instructor and peers at all stages of the writing process, including discovery and
invention, development of focused thesis statements and questions, organization, and both global revision
and editing for clarity, brevity and correctness.
4. Research and write scholarly discussion essays or independent research projects that: a) analyze,
explore, or argue substantial thesis statements or questions, b) consider, respond to, and credit ideas from
others, and c) use substantiating evidence effectively.
5. Create and curate a website portfolio with multiple writing and composing products, including a
scholarly discussion or independent research essay, a movie essay, and a reflective essay.
Assignments: You will write three process essays; each one will evolve through three or four distinct
drafts. One of these essays will be presented orally in class. In addition to these written essays, you will
also create a short movie essay. Other coursework will include weekly journal entries, responses to each
others’ work, in-class exercises, and a final website portfolio. The types of essays you will be writing are:
1) Personal Narrative Essay
2) Rhetorical Analysis of an Advertisement (Speech)
3) Scholarly Discussion or Primary Research Essay
4) Movie Essay
Writer’s Journal: Rather than merely transferring your ideas from your head onto the page fully formed,
or waiting for inspiration to strike, writing as we will come to understand it is a process of habitually
working through your ideas on the page. Because of this, I expect you to keep a writer’s journal. You can
and should use this to respond to class readings, and you can use it as a brainstorming space for your
assignments. There is really no wrong way to write a journal entry – all that is required is that you do it.
Three entries per week. Often, the syllabus will say “writing due” is a response to the reading. Each
reading response or Annotated Bibliography entry can be a journal entry.
Peer Review: Good feedback is crucial to strong writing. A major component of this class is
sharing your writing with your peers and exchanging advice and feedback. Feedback will be
shared through small group workshops and written responses to your group members’ work.
Think of these responses as short, analytical essays.
Time Commitment: All in all, I expect you to spend ten hours a week on this course.
Please manage your time well. It is surprisingly easy to gauge the work that has gone into an
essay. Reading will average about 20 pages per week. Your writer’s journal will be a place where
you can wrestle with the material in these readings.
Website Portfolio Requirements: You will produce a website portfolio that includes work you have
written or created for this class. You will revise these pieces for inclusion into the portfolio. I encourage
you to choose the work you believe best represents you. The portfolio must include:
1) All three drafts of your Researched Essay
2) A Revision Letter detailing your process of incorporating feedback into the
revision of your Researched Essay
3) An Annotated Bibliography of 4 sources used in your Researched Essay
4) All drafts of one additional essay
5) Your Movie Essay
The Writing Center: (Thomas Hunter, Room 416.) Smart, nice graduate students offer free tutoring on
all aspects of writing. We will ask for their help.
How Drafts Will Be Different: Your process essays will evolve through three distinct drafts, with
different goals in each.
1) Discovery Drafts (about four to five pages) will grapple with a topic, and will explore
your subjective views and/or the experiences that inform those views. Feel free to try
alternate approaches and to experiment.
2) Middle Drafts (about five to eight pages) will re-work, organize and extend your ideas
and analysis. Your middle draft should unify around a core idea.
3) Final Drafts (about four to six pages) will represent your complete and best work on
your topic. Final drafts must be proofread carefully.
Form Of Work: All writing completed in this class will be submitted through Google docs or published
to the Web. Following MLA guidelines, please write your name, my name, essay description, and date, at
the top left margin of every paper.
Keep All Your Work: Save Everything. File and keep all notes and research. Save electronic copies of
each draft separately. If you’re on a borrowed computer, attach your drafts to an email and mail them to
yourself, save them with a thumb drive, or upload them to the cloud. Dropbox and Google are good
options for free Web storage.
Conferences With Me: We will meet at least twice during the semester. Either you or I can also
request more meetings. I can also be reached by email.
Grading: Your final grade will be weighted as follows:
Participation -- 10%
Writer’s Journal / Peer Review -- 20%
Essays -- 20%
Portfolio of revised essays -- 50%
Penalty For Missing and Late Work: Each missed essay or assignment will drop your grade one notch. If
you missed one essay and your final grade is a "C", that "C" becomes a "C-". Every two missed or late
reading assignments will also drop your grade one notch. You are given a coupon for one two-day
extension for an essay assignment. Use it wisely.
Penalty For Missing Class: As this class is a workshop, prompt, regular attendance is crucial to
success. It is impossible to fairly evaluate all reasons for absences, and so I do not try. Instead, you get
two free class absences. Use them carefully. For each absence beyond two, your final grade drops one
notch. So, if you miss three classes (even if you have excellent reasons) and your final grade is a "C",
that "C" becomes a "C-". Coming in late or leaving class early counts as 1/3 of an absence-- so please
show up on time.
No Matter What, Keep Up: If you miss a class you are still responsible for the material, assignments and
content of that class. If you miss class, email me any assignments that are due. If you don’t get my
comments on one draft before the next draft deadline, you must still do your best and submit the next
draft on time.
Evaluation Criteria:
1) Focus: One idea (main point, central question, thesis) must be at the core of your
middle and final drafts; does everything relate to your thesis question?
2) Analysis: Did you analyze, question, consider, explore, explain, and/or reflect on the
ideas, events, beliefs or experiences in your writing?
3) Development: A strong essay is rich with examples, details, "stories," and
discussion. Did you develop--substantiate, explain, illustrate--all of your points?
4) Organization: Have you organized your essay in a clear, logical way? Have you
provided readers with an introduction, transitional cues, and a strongly supported
conclusion? (This overlaps with Rhetoric.)
5) Revision: Have you redrafted, rethought, reorganized and re-researched each new
draft? (Or, did you merely “tweak” your work with minimal changes?)
6) Rhetoric: How have you shaped your writing to influence or affect readers?
7) Sources: Have you properly gathered, evaluated, used, cited and listed them?
8) Mechanics and Proofreading: Proper grammar and usage affect your credibility and ability
to influence readers. In final drafts, did you catch errors in spelling, capitalization, typos,
etc., through careful re-reading?
Access & Accommodations: We recommend that all HC students with disabilities explore support
services and register with the Office of AccessABILITY located in Room E1124. 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 E1124 to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and
assistance please call (212-772- 4857)/TTY (212- 650- 3230).
Academic Integrity: I expect that you will be completely honest with me and that the work you give me
will always be entirely your own. You may not submit the same work to two teachers until they both
consent. Don't make this mistake. If you cheat, I am required to fail you and refer you to the college’s
student disciplinary committee for possible further sanctions. 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.
CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity: http://www.cuny.edu/about/info/policies/academic-integrity.pdf
Hunter College Policy on Academic Integrity:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/advising/policies-sub/policies-academic-integrity
Readings (all on Blackboard):
Aristotle. The Rhetoric and Poetics of Aristotle. (c.360-353 BCE) New York: McGraw Hill, 2d Ed. 1984.
[Excerpt Book Two, Chapter One.] Print.
Bender, Rachel. “Color and Mood.” Huffington Post. 27 Nov 2011. Web. 2 Jan 2014.
Brandt, Deborah. “Sponsors of Literacy.” College Composition and Communication. 49.2 (1998): 165185. JSTOR. Web. 25 Aug 2010.
Carabelli, Jason. “Identifying a Conversation.” Writing Commons. nd. 23 Jan 2014.
Carroll, Laura Bolin. “Backpacks v. Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis.” Writing Spaces:
Readings on Writing, Volume One. Eds. Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky. Parlour Press,
2010. 45-58. Web. 10 Jan 2014.
Clark, J. Elizabeth. “The Digital Imperative: Making the Case for a 21st Century Pedagogy.” Computers
and Composition. 27 (2010): 27-35. Science Direct. Web. 22 Jan 2014.
Cooper, Dona. “Films as Roller Coasters.” Writing Great Screenplays for Film and TV. 2nd ed. New
York: Macmillan, 1997. Print.
Dietrich, Rhonda. “The Guiding Idea and Argumentative Thesis Statement.” Writing Commons. nd. 23
Jan 2014.
Elbow, Peter. “Cut-and-Paste Revising and the Collage.” Writing With Power. (1981) 2d ed. New York:
Oxford, 1998. [Excerpt 146-154.] Print.
_____. “The Process of Writing and Growing.” Writing Without Teachers. (1973) 2d ed. New York:
Oxford U P, 1998. [excerpt] 12-25. Print.
Goodman, Allegra. “Calming the Inner Critic and Getting to Work.” NY Times. 12 March 2001. Web. 27
June 2013.
Hirschberg, Stuart. “The Rhetoric of Advertising.” The Essential Strategies of Argument. 291-297.
_____:Longman 1996. Print.
Honigman, Brian. “The Psychology of Color in Logo Design (INFOGRAPHIC).” Huffington
Post. 24 Jan 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.
“In Defense Of Rhetoric: No Longer Just For Liars.” Online Video Clip. Youtube. Youtube, 27 June
2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
Keller, Josh. “Studies Explore Whether Internet Makes Better Student Writers.” The Chronicle of Higher
Education. 11 June 2009. Web. 2 July 2013.
Lamott, Anne. “Shitty First Drafts.” Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York:
Anchor, 2005. 21-27. Print.
_____. “Perfectionism.” Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor, 2005.
28-32. Print.
_____. “Finding Your Voice.” Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New
York: Anchor, 2005. 195-201. Print.
Lincoln, Abraham. First Inaugural Address. (March 4, 1861). From Library of Congress. Web. 22 Jan
2014.
_____. Second Inaugural Address. (March 4, 1865). From Bartleby.com. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.
Murray, Donald. M. “All Writing is Autobiography.” College Composition and Communication. 42.1
(1991): 66-72. JSTOR. Web. 26 June 2013.
Russell, Tony, et. al. “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” Purdue OWL. Purdue University. 9 May 2012.
Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
Yirinec, Jennifer. “Critical Reading Practices.” Writing Commons. nd. 23 Jan 2014.
Wallace, David Foster. “This is Water: Kenyon Commencement Speech.” Online Video Clip. Youtube. 19
May 2013. Web. 23 Jan 2014.
Tentative Course Schedule:
PART ONE: PROCESS AND LITERACY
Mon
1/27
Intro to Course and Each Other
Freewriting
Wed
1/29
Writing Due: Response to Elbow and Lamott
Readings Due: Peter Elbow “The Process of Writing and Growing”
Anne Lamott “Shitty First Drafts”
Sun
2/2
Discovery Draft One (D1) Due – Literacy Narrative (expansion of freewrite)
Mon
2/3
Readings Due: Jennifer Yirinec “Critical Reading Practices”
Dietrich “The Guiding Idea”
Anne Lamott “Perfectionism”
Wed
2/5
Writing Due: Response to Murray and Brandt
Readings Due: Murray “Autobiography” [excerpts]
Deborah Brandt “Sponsors of Literacy” [excerpts]
In Class:
Intro to Peer Review
Storyboarding
Fri
2/9
Middle Draft One (M1) Due
Mon
2/10
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
In Class:
Wed
2/12
NO CLASS
Mon
2/17
NO CLASS
Final Draft One (F1) Due
Peer Group Essays
Two Peer Review Responses
Small Group Workshop
PART TWO: INTRO TO RHETORIC
Wed
2/19
Reading Due:
In class:
Aristotle Rhetoric [excerpt]
Collins “Backpacks vs. Briefcases”
Diagram of Rhetorical Elements
Thurs 2/20
MONDAY SCHEDULE
Reading Due: (Video) “Halftime in America”
Hirschberg “The Rhetoric of Advertising”
Writing Due: Rhet analysis notes, Ann Bib for Hirschberg
In Class:
Visual Rhetoric part I
Sun
2/23
Writing Due:
Mon
2/24
Readings Due: Bender “Color and Mood”
Honigman “The Psychology of Color”
In Class:
Visual Rhetoric part II
Wed
2/26
Readings Due: Lincoln First Inaugural [excerpts]
Lincoln Second Inaugural
In class:
Group rhet analy of speeches
Sun
3/2
Writing Due:
Middle Draft Two (M2)
Mon
3/3
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
In Class:
(Video) Clinton DNC 2012 Speech
Rubric to evaluate Clinton’s speech
Oral Rhetoric
Wed
3/5
Readings Due: Peer Group Essays
Writing Due: Two Peer Review Responses
In Class:
Small Group Workshop
Mon
3/10
Reading Due:
Discovery Draft Two (D2) – Oral Rhetorical Analysis of an
Ad
In class:
David Foster Wallace “This is Water: Kenyon
Commencement Speech” (Video and essay)
Conferences
Wed
3/12
In class:
Conferences
Sun
3/16
Writing Due:
Final Draft Two (F2)
Mon
3/17
In Class:
Presentation of Speeches (F2)
PART THREE: RESEARCH METHODS
Wed
3/19
Reading Due:
In Class:
Carabelli “Identifying a Conversation”
Hayden “Stases Method”
Intro to Stases Method Activity
Sun
3/23
Writing Due:
Research Proposals
Mon
3/24
Due:
In Class:
VOILA Library Tutorial
Library Visit
Wed
3/26
Writing Due:
Reading Due:
Plan for Researching Sources incl Ann Bib for 2 sources
Two research sources
One Model Essay
Sun
3/30
Writing Due:
Discovery Draft 3 (D3) – Research Essay
Mon
3/31
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
In class:
Clark “Digital Imperative”
Ann Bib for Clark
Sharing of current research
Wed
4/2
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
In class:
Dietrich “The Argumentative Thesis Statement”
Ann Bib for 2 more sources
Sharing of current research
Sun
5/4
Writing Due:
Middle Draft 3 (M3)
Mon
4/7
Reading Due:
Keller “Whether Internet Makes Better Student Writers”
Wed
4/9
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
In Class:
Peer Group Essays
Two Peer Review Responses
Peer Review Workshop
Sun
4/13
Writing Due:
Final Draft 3 (F3)
Mon
4/14
SPRING BREAK
Wed
4/16
SPRING BREAK
PART FOUR: MULTI-MODAL COMPOSITION
Mon
4/21
In class:
Catch-up day and Conferences
Wed
4/23
Reading Due:
Writing Due:
Cooper “Films as Rollercoasters”
Writer’s Journals including Cooper response
Sun
4/27
Writing Due:
Movie Treatments / Screenplays
Mon
4/28
In class:
Workshop treatments; explore sites
Wed
4/30
In class:
Portfolio preparation
Sun
5/4
Writing Due:
Draft of Movie
Mon
5/5
In class:
Work on portfolios
Wed
5/7
In class:
Work on portfolios
Sun
5/11
Writing Due:
Final Movies
Mon
5/12
Watch Movies!
Wed
5/14
Website Portfolios Due and Party!