English 112 –English Composition, section 005 (3 credits)
Class
Date, Time and Place:
7:30
am - 9:15 am MW
Your
Instructor: Dr. Julie Barak
Office
Phone: 248-1072
Office: LHH 446 –
A.M. LHH 452 – P.M.
Office
Hours: MWF
E-mail: [email protected]
Syllabus subject to change. Please consult
on-line syllabus at http://www.mesastate.edu/~jbarak
for most current version.
Course Goals: To
examine, discuss, and practice composing various styles and modes of writing in
order to develop the confidence, independence, and skills necessary to tackle
virtually any writing task assigned in any college class. In particular, this
will include learning to read, think and write critically about literature and
other types of texts; discovering the steps in the research process and
applying those steps in our own writing; analyzing, summarizing, paraphrasing,
quoting and citing source material without plagiarizing; eliminating
distracting mechanical errors, developing an awareness of various citation
styles, including, but not limited to, MLA.
State-wide General Education
Requirements: This course has been accepted by the CCHE as
a General Education Transfer course. To meet this requirement, the course must
meet minimum reading and writing requirements, as well as address the following
critical thinking skills: a) Identifying
and differentiating questions, problems and arguments, b) Evaluating the
appropriateness of various methods of reasoning and verification, c)
Identifying and assessing stated and unstated assumptions, d) Critically
comparing different points of view, e) Formulating questions and problems, f)
Constructing and developing cogent arguments, g) Discussing alternative points
of view, h) Evaluating the quality of evidence and reasoning.
The
following have been chosen from the list of General Education Objectives shown
in its entirety in the Mesa State College Catalog:
OBJECTIVE
1—Students will be able to think critically and recognize issues across a broad
spectrum of subjects.
OBJECTIVE
2—Students will be able to communicate effectively in the English Language.
Course Methods: Two
things are important about the course in terms of methods. First of all, the course is designed as a
writing workshop. That means that we’ll spend most of our class time writing,
reading, and talking about writing and/or reading. We’ll write about others’ writing, write
about our own writing process, write about various subjects, read our own
writing out loud in large and small groups, read others’ writing, and discuss
everything! Second, I’ve chosen a topic
to help us begin our reading/writing/conversing. That topic is race/race
relationships. In particular, we’ll be looking at race from a postcolonial
context. As we read and discuss the literature and the essays I’ve selected for
the class, research topics and projects should begin to develop for you. We’ll
spend time investigating how to turn these ideas into a researched writing
project.
Required Texts:
|
Graff
and Birkenstein |
They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing |
Norton |
|
Harris,
Joseph |
Rewriting: How to Do Things with Texts |
|
|
Kincheloe,
Steinberg, Rodriguez and Chennault |
White Reign: Deploying Whiteness in |
St.
Martin’s |
|
Shakespeare,
William Eds.
Gerald Graff and James Phalan |
The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy |
|
|
Conrad,
Joseph Ed.
Paul B. Armstrong |
Heart of Darkness: A Norton Critical Edition, 4th Edition |
Norton |
Other Expenses:
Occasional copies of your own writing for large and
small group discussion.
Course Requirements:
1.
Three Papers: One essay on The Tempest (100 points), one on Heart of Darkness (150 points), and one
extended research paper that has its source in an idea, concept or event in White Reign (250 points). More details about and explanation of these
assignments will follow.
2.
Literature Discussion Guide: Several
students will lead the discussions of the readings on assigned days. You should
come to class with a piece of writing that records observations, questions,
connections that will promote a discussion of the text under scrutiny. Sign-up
sheets will be circulated and posted so that everyone knows who is responsible
for what when. (50 points)
3.
Outline of one critical article on The Tempest or Heart of Darkness: Using the model on the K: drive, produce a topic
sentence outline of an assigned critical article. See sign-up sheets for due dates. (75 points)
4.
In-class journals from prompt provided. Please keep
journals in a notebook or folder. Make
sure they are clearly numbered. I will
pick them up at mid-term and at the end of the semester. (150 points)
5.
Summary/Response: A brief (2-3 double-spaced
pages, 500-750 words) summary/response to one of the readings from White Reign. You will a) summarize the
chapter, b) address what you consider to be the most significant
questions/issues/concerns raised in the essay and c) lead the class in a
discussion of the piece of writing based around that issue. The last paragraph in the essay should be
devoted to meditating on possible research topics that derive from the essay.
What did it leave you wanting to know more about? What are some sources it
referenced that you’d like to check into? What connections does it make with
other issues you are curious about? Sign-up sheets will be circulated and
posted. (100%)
6.
Various Assignments Connected to Research Paper: a) research
question: 25 points b) bibliography: 50
points c) prospectus: 50 points
7.
Attendance, Participation, and Late Work: In a workshop setting, your contributions to
discussion are very important. If you’re
not here, you can’t share what you know and we all miss out. So, show up and speak up. You get three hours
of free absences during the session. After those three hours, you lose one
letter grade for every hour of absence. So if you have an “A” average for the work
you’ve turned in, but you’ve missed four hours of class, your final grade drops
to a “B.” If you’ve missed five hours, your final grade drops to a “C,” and so
on. Late work will be accepted, but the grade for the paper will be dropped one
letter grade for each day it’s late. So,
for example, an “A” paper turned in two days late, earns a “C.”
Policies and Procedures:
1.
Academic Honesty: Refer to the Student Handbook for college policies on
Academic Honesty. You are cautioned a) against using, word for word, without
acknowledgment, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc. from the printed or manuscript
material of others; b) against using with only slight changes the materials of
others; and c) against using the general plan, the main headings, or a
rewritten form of someone else’s material. These cautions apply to the work of
other students as well as to the published work of professional writers. (Department of English,
2.
Students w/ Disabilities: In coordination with Educational Access Services,
reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified students with
disabilities. Please meet with the
instructor the first week of class to make arrangements. Educational Access Services can be contacted
at 248-1856, or in person at
Grades:
Tempest Essay: 100 points
Heart of Darkness Essay 150 points
Outline of Critical Article 75 points
Research Paper 250 points
Literature Discussion Guide 50 points
Journal 150
points
Summary/Response/Discussion Leadership100
points
Research Question 25 points
Prospectus 50
points
Bibliography 50 points
A
= 900-1000 points, B = 800-899 points, C = 700-799 points, D = 600-699 points F
= below 600
Schedule:
|
Date |
Reading Assignment |
Writing or
Responses Due |
|
Feb 11 |
Intro to class – Film |
|
|
Feb 13 |
Finish The Tempest |
Discussion Guide √
Sign-up |
|
Feb 18 |
Intro and Chapter 1 of
Harris Intro and Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Graff and Berkenstein Pages 93-96 of The Tempest |
a.
Define the
project b. note key words c. Assess the uses and limits |
|
Feb 20 |
Chapter 2 of Harris Kermode, Brower |
d. Illustrate e. Authorize Outlines due √ Sign-up |
|
Feb 25 |
Brown and Willis Loomba and Thompson |
Summary posted to K: Outlines due √
Sign-up |
|
Feb 27 |
Barker and Hulme, Skura |
f.
Borrow g. Extend Outlines due √ Sign-up |
|
Mar 03 |
Harris – pages 98-108 |
Response posted to K: |
|
Mar 05 |
Chapter 3 of Harris Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of
Graff and Berkenstein |
Paper #1 Due |
|
Mar 10 |
Spring
Break – No class |
|
|
Mar 12 |
Spring
Break – No class |
|
|
Mar 17 |
Heart
of Darkness Achebe, Hawkins and Brooks |
h.
Argue the other
side Outlines due √
Sign-up Discussion Guide Due |
|
Mar 19 |
Brantlinger and Hawthorn |
i.
Uncover values Outlines due √
Sign-up |
|
Mar 24 |
Roberts,
Schneider |
j.
Dissent Thesis posted to K: Outlines due √
Sign-up |
|
Mar 26 |
Miller
and Said Harris
– pages 108-113 |
Draft posted to K: Outlines due √
Sign-up |
|
Mar 31 |
Chapter
4 of Harris |
Paper #2 due |
|
Apr 02 |
White
Reign: Kincheloe and Steinberg |
k. Acknowledge influence Summaries due √
Sign-up |
|
Apr 07 |
White
Reign: McLaren and Rains |
l.
Turning an
approach on itself Summaries due √ Sign-up |
|
Apr 09 |
White
Reign: Giroux
and Nicholson |
m. Reflexivity Summaries due √ Sign-up |
|
Apr 14 |
White
Reign: Anijar and Carter |
Summaries due √
Sign-up |
|
Apr 16 |
|
Thesis
and Outline Due |
|
Apr 21 |
|
Prospectus and Bibliography |
|
Apr 23 |
Harris
– pages 113-116 |
Draft #1 posted to K: --
sign up |
|
Apr 28 |
Harris
– pages 116-121 |
Draft #1 posted to K: --
sign up |
|
Apr 30 |
Drafts |
Draft #1 posted to K: --
sign up |
|
May 5 |
Conferences |
Draft #2 due – sign up Journals due |
|
May 7 |
Conferences |
Draft #2 due – sign up Journals Due |
|
May 12-15 |
Finals Week |
Final Paper Due |