English 200W: Essay Writing
Anne Posten
ENGL 200W: Spring 2013
Office: Klapper Hall 354
T/Th 10:50-12:05 a.m.
Office Hours: T/Th 12:30-1:30 pm, and by appt
Kiely 148
anne.posten@qc.cuny.edu
718-997-4642
http://essaysspring13.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu
“How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”
—E.M. Forster
essay noun. 1. A trial, a test; an experiment.
—Oxford English Dictionary
Exploring the Craft of the Essay
Course Description:
In this course we will explore the essay as a genre, considering and perhaps expanding
the limits of the form. Where does the essay end and fiction or poetry begin? What
functions can the essay serve? How far should essays be expected to bear the burden of
“truth”? What is truth as pertains to writing?
There will be three essay assignments and several low-stakes writing activities due over
the course of the semester. In sharing work with classmates and in writing on our class
blog, we will think about writing as a process of conversation and collaboration. We will
look at how texts respond to one another and think about how good writing emerges in
the context of dialogue, interaction, and revision. Our first essay, based on written
correspondence, directly addresses this question. Particular attention will be paid to
thinking about audience and angles. Throughout the course we will learn to write and will
also use writing as a way to learn.
Learning Objectives: Through formal and low-stakes writing assignments, students will
learn to:
1) Critically analyze texts individually and in groups to help identify audience and
perspective(s).
2) Identify essay topics and successful approaches in structure and style.
3) Use pre-writing techniques such as freewriting and brainstorming to generate and
organize ideas.
4) Develop cohesive, well-ordered paragraphs to support a main idea.
5) Revise texts to improve grammar, vocabulary, syntax and essay structure.
Required Materials:
Most of the texts for this class will be posted on the course blog. You must bring these
texts to class on the days we are discussing them. You may bring them in electronic
format if you wish, but I strongly encourage you to be able to underline and take notes
directly on your readings—if this means printing them, so be it.
In addition, you are required to buy one book, available at the QC bookstore, on Amazon,
or best of all, at your local independent bookstore.
The Lifespan of a Fact, by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal (2012) ISBN: 978-0393340730
You also need to have a notebook or binder specifically for this class, from which you
can tear out pages. You will use this notebook for in-class writing, as well as for any
notes you wish to take. It is also strongly recommended that you also have a good
dictionary, thesaurus, and a writing manual or style guide. You will use these
resources throughout your college career and they are a valuable investment.
Course Requirements:
Papers:
1. Essay based on letters: 3-5 pages.
2. Reported Essay: 3-5 pages.
3. Personal/Lyric Essay: 3-5 pages.
4. Final Assignment: A revision of one of the above, to post on a blog.
More information about these assignments will be given closer to when they are due.
Before you turn in an essay for a final grade, a draft of it will be peer reviewed. This
means you will meet with two to three classmates and will read, revise, and comment on
each other's work. You will then revise your essay based on the comments you receive
and will turn in your first draft and the revised draft by the following session for a grade.
Assignments that have not been peer reviewed will be deducted by one letter grade (e.g. a
B assignment will receive a C). Late assignments will also be penalized, whether first or
revised drafts, by 1/3 a letter grade for each day late (e.g. a B+ will receive a B). I won't
accept an assignment more than a week late from the final due date. If you receive a
grade that you're not happy with (on an essay turned in on time), you can revise the essay
and turn it in within a week after I hand it back to you. I'll average the original grade
with the grade on the revision. A specific grading policy will be handed out before the
first essay is due.
One-page responses
Throughout the semester you will write five one-page responses to our readings. Specific
topics and guidelines will be given before the due date of each. These will be checked
and graded on a scale of 0-2. I won't take these more than a week late, unless you explain
to me that certain unavoidable circumstances prevented their timely completion. If you
miss class, it is okay to email me your exercise.
Blogging
This class relies extensively on technology, so you must have regular computer and
web access.
The URL for the course blog is: http://essaysspring13.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu,
The password for protected pages is: posten1
This blog will be accessed through qwriting.org. You must have an active QC email
address that you check at least once a day because that is the address used by
qwriting.org. It is your responsibility to contact the OCT help desk to make sure that
your email account is in working order.
The blog is where most of the readings for this class with be posted. In addition, I will
post questions about the readings to be discussed during the next class session. Do the
readings, read the question, and then post a response of at least 150 words on your own
blog. (Check out http://help.qwriting.org for instructions on “Getting Started” and “How
to write and publish a post”.) Responses are meant as a way to informally work out ideas
presented in the readings, so you do not need to limit yourself to the question I have
posed for your response. You may answer the question, but you may also pose and
discuss a new question or bring up other ideas that you find interesting in the reading. I'll
give you a point of credit for each post, and at the end of the semester I'll tabulate all your
accrued points for a grade. You must post by 10 am on the day of our class discussion in
order to receive credit. I will not accept late blog posts.
Discussion Presentations
Each student will serve as a discussion leader for readings twice during the course of the
semester. A sign-up sheet will be passed around during the first week of class so that you
can choose the days on which you are going to present. These will be very informal
presentations (under 5 min.) but you should come prepared to start discussion by giving
an overview of the reading and your thoughts on it. You must also bring 2 questions
about the readings for the class to discuss.
Participation: Participation is the key to learning anything and it begins with being
present and punctual on a regular basis. If you are absent, you cannot participate and this
will be reflected in your final grade. If you know that you will be absent from class,
please inform me beforehand in person or via email. Lateness is a mark of disrespect and
lack of professionalism and will not be tolerated. To be clear, if you arrive a half-an-hour
after the beginning of class, you will be marked absent for the day.
Good participation, however, also entails coming to class prepared, having done the
reading and blog. It also involves having the texts for that day’s assignment with you in
class, being engaged in discussions, and participating in group activities. Even if you
thought the readings were stupid, meaningless, too difficult, incorrect, or even if you
didn't understand them, expressing your opinions and exposing them to constructive,
critical discourse is always intellectually productive—to you, to me, and to the class as a
whole. As a result, your participation grades will factor in your preparedness, the quality
of your engagement in class discussions, as well as your attendance and punctuality.
WHY PARTICIPATION IS SO IMPORTANT IN THIS CLASS: Learning to think
critically is one of the most important skills one needs to be a good writer, and, more
importantly, to be a complete, thoughtful person and an engaged member of society.
Critical thinking is based on the ability to ask questions: to inquire into and investigate
situations, texts, and other types of information you encounter in order to form opinions
and decide courses of action. Asking questions is therefore the cornerstone of this
course and, hopefully, of your academic career. In formulating questions and seeking
answers to them, it is important to understand that it is the process of asking these
questions through which we learn; the answers to the types of questions we’ll be
exploring here are not at the back of any book. Rather, they are in your own mind and
in the minds of your colleagues, with whom you will be engaging and discussing these
questions. By being engaged in discussions, you have already taken the most important
step towards being a good writer: you learn to think clearly, critically, and analytically,
and this will be reflected in the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.
Class Policies and Expectations:
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of stealing someone else's work and claiming it as your
own. Examples of plagiarism include the act of copying a word-for-word passage from a
source and pasting it into the body of your paper with neither quotes nor citation
(obvious), or the act of lifting a passage from a source and changing a few of the words to
make it sound more “like you” (not-quite-as-obvious-but-still-really-stupid). This is the
most egregious academic offense one can commit and all instances of plagiarism will be
punished accordingly. If you are caught plagiarizing, you will receive an F on the
offending paper, and possibly for the course, no questions asked. In short, just don't do it.
If you're unsure whether the language you are using in your paper is your own or
someone else’s, quote it and cite it just to be safe. The Writing at Queens website has a
very useful section on plagiarism, which you are strongly encouraged to check out:
http://writingatqueens.org/for-students/what-is-plagiarism/
If you have any questions or concerns about the necessity of quoting something in your
paper, please feel free stop by my office during office hours or write me an email.
Behavioral Policies: Though most of this falls under what I would consider to be “general
knowledge,” there are certain kinds of behavior that are unacceptable for a college
classroom setting.
 Absolutely NO use whatsoever of any kind of cellphone, blackberry, iPod,
pager (unless you’re an on-call physician, otherwise God help you if you still
have a pager), or anything else electronic. This includes texting, talking, webbrowsing, email-checking or anything else you can do on a piece of plastic
and a little screen with buttons. Make it a habit of turning them off or
silencing them before sitting down. This is not a movie theater. The only
exception is tablets or laptops used to take notes or refer to readings.
 Eating small snacks and drinking (only NON-alcoholic beverages, please) is
fine as long as it does not become distracting or disruptive. As a general
guideline, eating a candy bar is fine; eating a platter of sushi or pancakes.

Treat each other with respect and dignity, i.e., no hate speech, insulting
comments or superiority complexes. The classroom is a safe learning
environment of open, thoughtful, inquisitive discourse where everyone should
feel comfortable expressing his or her thoughts at all times. The only dumb
ideas are the ones left unexamined.
Grading:
Your final grade will be broken down in the following way:
Letter essay: 15%
Reported essay: 15%
Personal/lyric essay: 15%
Final assignment: 15%
Blog Posts:10%
Presentations: 5%
One-page responses: 10%
Participation and In-class Writing: 15%
Writing Center: Located in Kiely Hall 229, tutors there are trained to help you revise
your writing at various stages. If you believe you need additional help with your writing,
or if I ask you to set up a regular meeting with a tutor, you should make an appointment
at least one week prior to when an assignment is due. You can also get online help by
visiting their website at http://qcpages.qc.edu/qcwsw.
Note About Special Accommodation: If you have a learning, sensory, or physical
reason for special accommodation in this class, contact the Office of Special Services in
171 Kiely Hall at 718-997-5870 and please inform me.
Statement of Contractual Obligation
This syllabus is your contract with me. If you feel you are unable to fulfill any of the
terms of this syllabus, please contact me immediately so that we can make arrangements
if possible. The syllabus is a blueprint for the class, and contains all the important dates,
as well as a good overview of what’s ahead. A copy of the syllabus is also available on
the class blog, so there is no excuse for not knowing what is expected of you. Reading
assignments are due on the date they appear in the syllabus, ie. you must come to class
prepared to discuss the text on that day.
It is important that I know that you read and understand this syllabus. In order to start the
semester with a clear understanding of the goals and expectations, please send me an
email stating that you read, understand, and agree to this syllabus and the stated policies-and take the opportunity to ask any questions that you have. Please send this message to
me from your Queens College email address. The college will contact you via that
address, as will I, so it is your responsibility to check it regularly. By February 5,
everyone should have sent this email to me.
Schedule of Major Due Dates:
1. Letter essay: First draft due 2/21 in class, Final draft due 2/28 midnight via
email
2. Reported essay: First draft due 4/4 in class, Final draft due 4/11 midnight via
email
3. Personal/lyric essay: First draft due 5/2 in class, Final draft due 5/7 midnight
via email.
4. Final Assignment (Revision): Peer review 5/14, Final draft posted to blog by
5/17 at midnight.
Schedule: This may change, so please contact me or a fellow student if you miss a class.
Readings will be discussed in class on the day they are listed in the schedule.
Tuesday 1/29 Introductions
Thursday 1/31 Introductory materials: What is an essay?
Tuesday 2/5 Evan Ratliff, "Vanish," "About" manifesto and posts of your own choosing
on Thought Catalog.
Thursday 2/7 Introduction and selected Ginsberg and Kerouac letters.
First essay assigned.
Tuesday 2/12 NO CLASS—QC CLOSED
Thursday 2/14 Introduction and selected Kafka and Milena letters.
One page response due: Describe one place, object, etc. twice. In one paragraph, your
audience is a person with whom you've shared this place, object, etc. In the other
paragraph, your audience is someone who has never experienced this place, object, etc.
First part of Essay #1 due to writing partner in class
Tuesday 2/19 (sub) Film: “Shattered Glass”
Tuesday 2/26 First drafts due/Peer Review Finish “Shattered Glass”
Thursday 2/28 D’Agata and Fingal, The Lifespan of a Fact. Beginning of book through
end of section 3.
Tuesday 3/5 D’Agata Sections 4-6.
Final drafts due in class
Thursday 3/7 NO CLASS (CANCELLED)
Tuesday 3/12 D’Agata Sections 7-9.
One page response due. Formulate your own ethics of the essay.
Thursday 3/14 George Steiner, “Cat Man”
Tuesday 3/19 David Foster Wallace, “Federer as Religious Experience”
Thursday 3/21 Excerpts of Tom Wolfe, "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" and Hunter S.
Thompson, "Hell's Angels."
One page response: Make observations while in motion (in subway, train, car, on foot,
etc.) and write from those observations.
Spring Break: Monday 3/25-Tuesday 4/2 Visit site or individual. Take notes and/or
conduct interview. In place of reading response, post bits of raw notes or interview Q&A
on blog.
Thursday 4/4 Read posts of own choosing on Hell Gate Review.
Tuesday 4/9 First drafts due/Peer review
Thursday 4/11 Whitehead, "I Scream," Beerbohm, "Going Out for a Walk."
One page response: Your favorite details from these essays; what worked for you, and
what didn't? Or, write about something that might seem ordinary to others but is
extraordinary to you.
Tuesday 4/16 Final draft due midnight via email
Read posts of your own choosing on Mr. Beller's Neighborhood. Read Didion, "In Bed,"
Thursday 4/18 Didion, “Goodbye to All That,” Biss, “Goodbye to All That.”
Third Essay assigned
Tuesday 4/23 Eula Biss, “Relations,” “Three Songs of Salvage,” and “Land Mines”
Thursday 4/25 Carson “Short Talks”
Tuesday 4/30 Carson, “Mimnermos: The Brainsex Paintings”
One page creative response: “Fake” essay.
Thursday 5/2 First draft due/Peer review
Weinberger, “Changs,” “In Lux Perpetua,” “The Stars”
Tuesday 5/7 Final draft due midnight via email.
Daum, "Music Is My Bag" Film: Selections from “Shortcuts”
Thursday 5/9 Essays from Writers on Writing, Tin House, review blogs we have read.
Film: Selection from Film Essay TBD
Proposal for the essay you would like to revise due.
Tuesday 5/14 Final assignment peer review
One page response: Write about the place where you usually write.
Cover letter to send to blog of your choice.
Thursday 5/16 LAST DAY OF CLASS
Discussion of blog posting. Share your work. Class summary and conclusion.
Final assignment due (posted to blog) by midnight, Friday 5/17