Course: English 112 –
001 Instructor: Julie Barak
Office: 443 Lowell
Heiny Hall Phone: 248-1072
Office Hours:
Home page: http://www.mesastate.edu/~jbarak
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. This includes 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.
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.
GENERAL EDUCATION
OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE:
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:
Blum, Lawrence, I’m not a
Racist, But . . .
Conrad, Joseph, Heart of Darkness. Norton Critical Edition (3rd).
Shakespeare, William.The Tempest. Bedford/St. Martin Critical Edition
Other Expenses:
Occasional copies of your own
writing for large and small group discussion.
Course Requirements:
1) Three
Papers: One essay on The Tempest (10%), one on Heart
of Darkness (15%), and one extended research paper that has its source in a
chapter of Blum (25%). More details about and explanation of these
assignments will follow.
2) Writing
Process Journal: This journal reflects on your writing
process. Prompts will be provided. We will spend 25-30 minutes a day in class
writing about our thoughts, ideas, struggles, and plans for our writing and
sharing that writing with each other.
Journals will be turned in each day. (20%)
3) Literature
Discussion Guide: Nine 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. (5%)
4) Essay
Discussion Leadership: A brief (2-3 page) summary/response to one of
the readings from Blum. You will address what you consider to be the most
significant questions/issues/concerns raised in the essay and then 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. (10%)
5) Various
Short Daily Assignments: See
schedule. Details and explanations
forthcoming. (15%)
6) 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 one free absence. After that first one, you lose one
letter grade for every absence. So if
you have an “A” average for the work you’ve turned in, but you’ve missed two
days of class, your final grade drops to a “B.” If you’ve missed three days,
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:
Academic Misconduct. Please read
the section on cheating and plagiarism in the student handbook. The consequences for cheating and plagiarism
are severe, including failure for the assignment, possible failure of the
course, disciplinary referral to the dean, and possible expulsion from the
college. If you have questions about
these violations of academic honesty, please come and see me.
Disabilities. If you have
any condition, such as a physical or mental disability, which will make it
difficult for you to carry out the work for the course, please talk to me and
we will work with the support services here at
Schedule:
|
|
Date |
Reading Assignment |
Writing or Responses Due |
|
Week 1 |
May 16 |
The Tempest -- Acts 1 & 2 |
--Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
May 17 |
The Tempest -- to end |
--Literature Discussion
Guide Due (See sign-up) --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
May 18 |
Group 1 – Takaki Group 2 – Kermode and
Brower |
--Visitor --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
May 19 |
Group 1 – Brown, Willis Group 2 – Barker and Hulme,
Skura |
--Journal Response (in
class) |
|
Week 2 |
May 23 |
Heart of Darkness -- First half, 1-33 |
--Paper 1 Due –
Summary/Response The Tempest. Post
to K drive, send me an e-mail, bring a disc, or bring copies. --Visitor --Literature Discussion
Guide Due (See sign-up) --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
May 24 |
Heart of Darkness – Second half, 33-end |
--Literature Discussion
Guide Due (See sign-up) --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
May 25 |
Group 1 – Haugh, Guerad Group 2 – Achebe, Harris,
Singh, Sarvan |
--Visitor --Journal Response (in
class) --Position Draft Due –
short piece |
|
|
May 26 |
Group 1 – Stewart,
McLaughlin Group 2 – Levensen,
Kimbrough |
--Journal Response (in
class) |
|
Week 3 |
May 30 Holiday |
|
|
|
|
May 31 |
Chapters
1-3 of Blum |
--Paper 2 Due – Position on
Heart of Darkness. Post to K drive,
send me an e-mail, bring a disc, or bring copies. --Discussion Leadership
Response (See sign-up) -- Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
June 1 |
Chapters
4-6 of Blum |
--Discussion Leadership
Response (See sign-up) --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
June 2 |
Chapters
7-9 or Blum |
--Discussion Leadership
Response (See sign-up) --Research Question(s) Due
– short piece --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
Week 4 |
June 6 |
|
--Bibliography and
Prospectus due. Post to K drive, send me an e-mail, bring a disc, or bring
copies – short piece --Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
June 7 |
|
--Journal Response (in
class) |
|
|
June 8 |
|
--Journal Response (in class) |
|
|
June 9 |
|
--Research paper due. Post
to K drive, send me an e-mail, bring a disc, or bring copies. --Journal Response (in
class) |