Course Schedule

Day 1 – 8/30

Overview of Course & Syllabus; Introduction to Key Terms; Blackboard Demonstration

Reading: “Art Spiegelman: Golden Age Superheroes Were Shaped By The Rise of Fascism” 

In class writing session; Discussion of the reading; Discussion of critical reading. 

Homework: Post your reflection to the Blackboard Discussion Board before the next class. Reflection (#1): Why is a composition class important? What do you hope to learn from this class? Where do you hope to apply it in your life? Feel free to take the opposing stance that this class isn’t important. This is an assignment about finding your comfort zone in expressing your thoughts

Day 2 – 9/6 

Reading due: Aristotle’s Rhetoric Book 1

In class writing session; Discussion of reading, recap, and Q&A of rhetorical analysis; Overview of a source based essay; Online research demonstration.

Brainstorm a topic you would like to learn more about for the semester. During this activity, you’ll start to develop a semester-long research project. It begins with this first assignment: identify an issue that you’d like to learn or discuss more. Although you’ll be able to change your topic before the next essay assignment, you’ll be creating more work for yourself if you do. Post this to Discussion Board before the start of the next class.

Homework: Create a rough draft of your source-based essay. It should be a complete rhetorical analysis of one article of your choosing. When bringing in essays you should always bring a paper printed version for me in addition to posting it on Blackboard. 

Day 3 – 9/13

Reading due: Revision and Life: Take It From The Top by Nora Ephron & The Rhetorical Situation by Lloyd F. Bitzer

In class writing session; Peer review of essay drafts.; MLA format lecture, workshop, & discussion; Discussion of readings

DUE:  First draft of source-based essay. Posted on Blackboard before the start of class. Paper copy brought to class. 

Homework: Reflection #2 posted to Discussion Board. Writing Reflection (#2): What is your “literacy narrative”? Describe what type of reader and writer you would describe yourself as prior to this class. Do you read for fun or simply due to obligation? Do you have favorite things to read? Favorite things to write? What has been expected of you in regards to reading and writing? This applies as much to academic reading/writing as to personal. your home life, for work, or for pleasure or professional advancement.

Day 4 – 9/20

Personal Conferences. You must reach out to me to schedule this!

DUE: Writing Reflection #2

Homework: Final draft of source-based essay. Posted to Blackboard as well as a paper copy brought in.

Day 5 – 9/27

Reading due: Politics and the English Language by George Orwell & Paging Big Brother: In Amazon’s Bookstore, Orwell Gets a Rewrite by David Streitfeld 

In class writing session; Discussion of reading; Closing conversation on Source Based Essay; Introduction to Inquiry-Based Research Essay; Overview of research essay questions; Group discussion of potential topics.

In class: Begin thinking about topics for your inquiry-based research essay. Come up with three potential topics.

Homework: Writing Reflection (#3): This reflection will be based on your research topic. What inspired the desire for further inquiry, including how you came up with the question, why it might be important, and how you plan to explore the question in your research. Post to Discussion Board.

DUE: Final draft of source-based essay. Posted to Blackboard before the start of class. Paper copy brought in. 

 

Day 6 – 10/4

Reading due: Genre & Design & A Puzzling Literary Genre: Comparative Views of the Essay by Richard M. Chadbourne & Arundhati Roy: “Literature provides shelter” by Neel Dhanesha & Six Writers on the Power of Telling the Truth by Fran Bigman

In class writing session; Discussion of readings; Discussion of research topics progress; Introduction  & discussion of genre; Portfolio; Setting up CAC site

Homework: Research Proposal: The proposal should identify the specific, final research question that you determine based on your initial exploration/research. Your proposal should discuss the same ideas as the topic reflection, but should be a more finely tuned presentation of the question your research will explore. You will need to include: your research question; what is it about this question that interests you?;  a description of your audience and the name of a publication for which your essay might be appropriate; a bibliography of the work you have so far completed.

DUE: Writing Reflection #3.

Day 7 – 10/11

Reading due: Humans Are About to Unleash an Irreversible “Hothouse Earth”, Scientists Warn by Peter Docktrill & It’s 2059, and the Rich Kids are Still Winning by Ted Chiang & Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit & The Importance of Technological Change in Shaping Generational Perspectives by Alexandra Samuel

In class writing session; Discussion of readings; Discussion of research proposal; Inquiry based essay review

Homework: Rough draft of Inquiry-Based Essay posted on Blackboard with paper copy brought to class.

DUE: Discussion Board Post: Research Proposal & CUNY Academic Commons must be set up by this point.

Day 8 – 10/18

In class writing session; Peer reviews.

Homework: Summary of each of your sources posted on Blackboard.

DUE: Rough draft of Inquiry-Based Essay posted on Blackboard with paper copy brought it.

Day 9 – 10/25

Personal conferences. You must schedule this with me! 

Homework: Final draft of Inquiry Based Essay posted on Blackboard with paper copy brought it.

DUE: Summary of each of your sources posted on Blackboard.

Day 10 – 11/1

Reading due: Multiple Voices, Multiple Genres: Fiction for Young Adults by Candida Gillis & Review: Multiple Genres, Multiple Voices: Teaching Argument in Composition and Literature by Karen D. O’Donnell

In class writing session; Discussion of reading; Recap and Q&A of research topics and techniques; Discussion of composition in two genres assignment.

Homework: Writing Reflection (#4) Analyze the process of moving from your research essay to your composition project, as well as think through questions that involve the key terms. Think about what rhetorical choices you have made, and consider the following questions: 1) Audience–what barriers in communicating to your audience(s) did you encounter? How did you overcome these barriers? 2) Process–how was the composing process different from your research essay? 3) Genre–why did you choose the two genres that you did? How did the genre affect the audience choice? 4) Reflection–what rhetorical practices did you find yourself using? Were they effective in the way you presented them?

DUE: Final draft of the inquiry based essay posted on Blackboard with paper copy brought to class.

Day 11 – 11/8

Reading due: What Makes a Fair College Admissions Process? by Julie J. Park , Christine R. Yano and Nadirah Farah Foley & Do You Suffer from Library Anxiety? by Alex Nunes

In class writing session; Discussion of reading; Continued discussion of Genres assignment + in class writing time.

Homework: First draft of Composition in Two Genres posted to Blackboard with paper copy brought in.

DUE: Writing Reflection (#4)

Day 12 – 11/15

In class writing session; Introduction to the theory of writing assignment; Peer reviews.

DUE: First draft of Composition in Two Genres. Post on Blackboard and bring in paper copy.

Day 13 – 11/22

Personal conferences. You must schedule these with me!

Homework: Final version of Composition in Two Genres essay. Post to Blackboard and bring in paper copy.

11/29 – NO CLASS

Reading due: Why I Write by George Orwell & Why I Write by Joan Didion & That Crafty Feeling by Zadie Smith & Devil Girl from Mars by Octavia Butler

Homework: Writing Reflection (#5): Take the four theories of writing that we have read (Orwell, Didion, Smith, and Butler) and discuss two in depth. Do you agree with their points? Disagree? Are they helpful to you in any way while developing your own theory of writing? Post this on discussion board before the next class.

Day 14 – 12/6

In class writing session

DUE: Final draft of Composition in Two Genres. Post on Blackboard and bring in paper copy. Writing Reflection #5 posted on Blackboard.

Day 15 – 12/13

Theory of Writing in class writing workshop; Portfolio review; Final Q+A’s; Snacks; Peer reviews.

DUE: Theory of Writing first draft.

Day 16 – 12/20 (No Class)

DUE: Final draft of Theory of Writing & Portfolio

ALL WORK MUST BE GIVEN TO BE BEFORE 12/25 TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY POINTS.