This course meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 AM -12:15 PM in Lucie Stern 006.
Huge thanks to Kirsten T. Saxton for her syllabus inspiration.
Click on the dates below to view reading and assignment due dates.
| INTRODUCTION | WHY write | WHAT to write
Thursday, 2/1 |
| WHO to write to
Thursday, 2/22 |
HOW to present
Tuesday, 4/17 |
SALON |
Introduction
Thursday, 1/18
To Read:
N/A
To Write:
N/A
In Class:
- Introductions
- Syllabus
- “Girl”, Jamaica Kincaid, 1978
- Discussion on close reading
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WHY write
Tuesday, 1/23
To Read:
- “What is Academic Writing?” by L. Lennie Irvin
- “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan
- “Thank You Esther Forbes” by George Saunders
To Watch:
“The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
To Write:
Write one paragraph for each of these essays about writing (not the video), for a total of 2-3 typed pages, in which you respond to the following two prompts:
- What is the (or an) “argument” this essay makes about writing?
- Include specific examples of “clues” led you to that conclusion (either quotes or paraphrased points).
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER . Bring TWO hard copies to class.
Grading Rubric For Reading Response One
To Make:
English One Selfie
- Create a one page document about you (make the title your name)
- Include (using photos, drawings, text, etc–not video or sound in this one):
- Your Name
- A Selfie
- What is home for you
- An image of a place where you currently do your writing
- Comfort food
- Something that represents what you read or write for pleasure
- Export it as a pdf. to Google Drive, ENG 1 SELFIE FOLDER
In Class:
- Discussion of essays and video
- Share selfies
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Thursday, 1/25
To Read:
- “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua
- “Nobody Mean More to Me than You and the Future Life of Willie Jordan” by June Jordan
To Write:
Choose a sentence that you find particularly evocative or engaging. In a reading response of 2 pages, retype and cite the quotation. Now answer the following:
- What does it literally mean? (translate/paraphrase the meaning)
- Why did you choose it? (at least a half page here)
- How would you describe its tone?
- How do you think the author created that tone? (“show,” don’t tell)
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Watch “Txting is killing language. JK!!!” with John McWhorter
- Discussion
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Tuesday, 1/30
To Read:
- “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie
- “The Power of Your Writing” by Winnie Lim
To Write:
NOTHING — THINK ABOUT YOUR LITERACY NARRATIVE (your work Monday with David is a good preparatory exercise for this project.)
In Class:
- Discussion
- In-class exercise
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WHAT to write
Thursday, 2/1
To Read:
- “What Writing Is” by Stephen King
- Excerpt from Sin and Syntax: “Nouns” by Constance Hale
- “The Secret to Good Writing: It’s About Objects, Not Ideas” by John McGuire
To Write:
PAPER 1: LITERACY NARRATIVE
Write a 2-3 page personal literacy narrative comprised of least 3 paragraphs (intro, 2 or 3 body paragraphs, conclusion). A literacy narrative is the story of how you learned something significant about yourself as a reader and writer.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
Think about the following:
- What is your current attitude toward reading/writing?
- What are your beliefs about yourself as a reader/writer?
- What happened in the past to make you have that attitude or those beliefs?
- What experiences were most significant?
Consider the following:
- Your own reading/writing experiences in and out of school;
- What you remember about learning to read/write;
- What successes or failures you have had connected to reading/writing;
- A particular book that had an impact on you;
- Your reading/writing strengths; and
- Your reading/writing weaknesses.
To Bring To Class:
An object from your room. When you are choosing your object, think about how you might describe it (using only words, not images). How would you make that object visible to us in a description: What colors? What size? Shape? Contours? Details? Bring your object to class.
In Class:
Spend five minutes writing a description of your object. Then, exchange objects with two other people and write for 5 minutes on each object; share writings, compare for tone and choice of detail.
PAPER 2: OBJECT ESSAY ASSIGNED
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Tuesday, 2/6
To Read:
- “Introduction: The Things That Matter” by Sherry Turkle
- “Object Lessons in History” by Sam Roberts
- “The Underclass Origins of the Little Black Dress” by Shelley Puhak
To Write:
Select the object on which you will write a paper and write a paragraph about why you have chosen it.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Practice paragraphing; discussion of Turkle.
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Thursday, 2/8
To Read:
“How to Write a Paragraph” by B.R. Bickmore
To Write:
Sample Paragraph from your Object Essay (no less than 3/4 of a page and no more than one page double spaced, include a clear topic sentence).
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Continue discussion of Turkle
- Practice peer review
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Tuesday, 2/13
To Read:
- “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott
- “Two Questions” by Lynda Barry
To Write:
FIRST DRAFT OF OBJECT ESSAY
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Peer review. Bring SIX copies of your essay to class for peer review exercise.
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Thursday, 2/15
To Read:
- NOTHING
To Write:
FINAL DRAFT OF OBJECT ESSAY
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER. Bring TWO hard copies to class.
In Class:
- Discussion
- Watch East Side Sushi (106 mins)and have snacks; this is our text for discussion next class, so be sure to show up.
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Tuesday, 2/20
To Read:
- “Hunger as Ideology” by Susan Bordo
- “Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing” by Purdue OWL
- Chapters 1-3 of They Say, I Say (pp. 19-51) —
- Ch. 1 “They Say”
- Ch. 2 “Her Point Is”
- Ch. 3 “As He Himself Puts It”
- *** Don’t complete the exercises
To Write:
In a ½ page to one page response, write a three sentence summary of the article (use the TSIS templates to get started). What is the author’s argument? Who do you think is the intended audience?
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Share summaries
- Discussion
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WHO to write to
Thursday, 2/22
To Read:
- “Food TV’s Sadistic Glee” by Roxane Gay
- “The Trash Heap Has Spoken” by Carmen Maria Machado
- Chapters 4 and 5 of They Say, I Say (pp. 55-77):
- Ch. 4 “Yes/No/OK But”
- Ch. 5 “And Yet”
- *** Don’t complete the exercises
To Write:
For both the Gay and the Machado essays: Write a 3-sentence summary of the essay; make a statement that agrees, disagrees, or agrees with a difference for each; include a brief sentence to defend your reasoning/analysis.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Share summaries and take positions
- Discussion
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Tuesday, 2/27
To Read:
- “#foodgentrification and Culinary Rebranding of Traditional Foods” by Soleil Ho
- “Should White Chefs Sell Burritos?” by Tim Carman
- “I Still Don’t Understand the Cultural Appropriation of Food” by Jess Kapadia
- Chapter 6 of They Say, I Say (pp. 78-91): “Skeptics May Object”
To Write:
In a 1-2 page response, explain the positions each author takes with regard to food gentrification/appropriation. Identify any “They Say, I Say” moments that occur.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
Consider the following:
- How do you see these articles in conversation with one another?
- Where do they converge or diverge on the issue?
- What are their “Yes/No/OK But” moments?
- Do you see any places in which they insert a naysayer and then knock it down?
In Class:
- Share position analysis
- Discuss tone, audience, rhetorical situation
PAPER 3.1: AUDIENCE ESSAY ASSIGNED
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Thursday, 3/1
To Read:
- Chapter 7 of They Say, I Say (pp. 92-101): “So What? Who Cares?”
- Purdue OWL’s tips for writing a thesis statement
To Write:
DRAFT OF AUDIENCE ESSAY 3.1 THESIS. This is your working thesis for your Audience Essay. This may (and will likely be) multiple sentences.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Thesis workshop and exercises
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Tuesday, 3/6
To Read:
If you find helpful: Essay Organization
To Write:
DRAFT OF AUDIENCE ESSAY 3.1
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Peer review (using the Rhetorical Situation worksheet)
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Thursday, 3/8
To Read:
N/A
To Write:
DRAFT OF ESSAY 3.1: AUDIENCE ESSAY
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Reflection piece on your essay 3.1
- Advertisement Analysis: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
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Tuesday, 3/13
To Read:
N/A
To Write:
ESSAY 3.2. Write two pages in which you state and defend a thesis that explicitly disagrees with the one you stated and defended in ESSAY 3.1. This assignment requires: a clear thesis and two pages of analysis in which you disagree with evidence you provided in your ESSAY 3.1. This is part of your Short Writing Assignments grade, not an essay grade.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Workshop on presentation software
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Thursday, 3/15
To Read/Watch:
- “How to Argue
- “How to Use Rhetoric to Get What You Want” by Camille A. Langston
- “PVLEGS” Breakdown by Dave Stuart,Jr.
In Class:
- Discussion: PVLEGS and presentation software
- The “Elevator Pitch”: Talking Your Thesis
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SPRING BREAK 3/19 – 3/23
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Tuesday, 3/27 No class
To Read:
NOTHING
To Write:
a) Revisit your OBJECT ESSAY. Write a paragraph on each of two or three topics that you could investigate further in a research essay about your object.
b) Formulate five research questions related to the topics you could investigate further in a research essay about your object. Bring these to your upcoming library research class.
Upload your paragraphs and research questions as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
c) Using my Office Hours Google sheet, schedule an individual Research Paper meeting with me during office hours (or by appointment if you can’t make office hours). The meeting must be before 27 April.
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Thursday, 3/29 David Mejia
To Read:
- “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell
- “The Elements of Bureaucratic Style” by Colin Dickey
- “The Autocrat’s Language” by Masha Gessen
To Write:
Write a two page response reflecting on the power of language. Include specific examples. Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Discussion on rhetorical registers.
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Tuesday, 4/3 David Mejia
To Read:
Pages 1-9 AND pages 22-34 of “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf
http://seas3.elte.hu/coursematerial/PikliNatalia/Virginia_Woolf_-_A_Room_of_Ones_Own.pdf
Emily Dickinson poem “I measure every grief I meet”
http://www.bartleby.com/113/1116.html
To Write:
These two authors tackle the idea of being excluded in very different ways, using different narrative techniques.
Write a draft of an incident in your life where you felt excluded or unsafe because of your sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, or other factor. Write about what happened and how it made you feel. (400-600 words) Bring it to class.
In Class:
The first part of class will be sharing our narratives aloud with our small groups. One person will read while the others get a few minutes to give verbal feedback. The second half of class will be a surprise! Make sure to bring some kind of electronic writing device, because you’ll be editing/revising your written piece.
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Thursday, 4/5 Library Research Workshop IN LIBRARY
To Read:
NOTHING
To Write:
Bring to your library class the five research questions related to the topics you could investigate further in a research essay about your object that you uploaded on 3/29. You will use these questions for the class research activities. Also, bring your laptop or table with keyboard (if you have one).
In Class:
Library Research Workshop with Librarian in Library Seminar Room (upstairs in the Olin Library).
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Tuesday, 4/10
To Read:
Walker Percy, “The Loss of the Creature”
To Write:
Write a 3 page reading response in which you consider:
- what is one of Percy’s main points?
- what kind of evidence does he use to support his argument?
- for at least one and a half page write about what you think about the arguments Percy makes regarding authenticity
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
- Discuss the Percy reading
- Discuss the Rhetorical Project assignment
- Discuss the Dinner Party Bibliography
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Thursday, 4/12
To Read:
- Mini Object Lessons by Ian Bogost
- The History of the Teddy Bear
To Write:
- A one page proposal of your research topic
- Response to the sources used in the Teddy Bear essay:
- What kinds of sources of evidence did the author include (may be in bullet points)
- Does the sequence in which the evidence is presented create a “story”? Why or why not?
- For each of the Mini Object Lessons, come up with TWO possible research tracks that might make these essays interesting research topics.
In Class:
- Discussion
- More details on Rhetorical Project and interim deadlines
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HOW to present your ideas
Tuesday, 4/17
To Read:
- “The Story Net” by Helen Sword, from Stylish Academic Writing
- “Annoying Ways People Use Sources” by Kyle D. Stedman
- “Reading Games: Strategies for Reading Scholarly Sources” by Karen Rosenberg
- “Evaluating Sources of Information” by Purdue OWL
To Write:
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 10 SOURCES DUE. A bibliography of at least ten sources related to your Rhetorical Project research.
Before class, upload your slide/s (with your name as the title) to the BIBLIOGRAPHY 10 SLIDES folder in the ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Present your bibliography in a slide from the presentation software you will use for your final presentation.
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Thursday, 4/19
To Read:
N/A
To Write:
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. Your annotated bibliography should include a minimum of 5 sources, 3 of which you plan to incorporate into your presentation. For each of your sources, you should provide a brief summary of the work and indicate how it fits into your argument/investigation/scope of analysis. For additional guidance with formatting and content of the annotated bibliography, please visit Purdue OWL.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Watch one or two recorded presentations from this link and analyze for PVLEGS.
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Tuesday, 4/24
To Read:
To Write:
RHETORICAL PROJECT PROPOSAL DRAFT. Choose the format from above links that is best useful for you.
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Peer review of proposal and a reflective note to me
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Thursday, 4/26
To Read:
- Chapters on “Tempting Titles” and “Hooks and Sinkers” by Helen Sword, from Stylish Academic Writing
- Introductions and Conclusions
To Write:
REVISED DRAFT OF RHETORICAL PROJECT ESSAY
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
Peer review for Introductions and Conclusions
Self Created Rubric exercise.
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Tuesday, 5/1 Last Day of Instruction
To Read:
To Watch:
To Write:
DRAFT OF SLIDE IMAGES with presentation notes outline
Before class, upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
In Class:
PowerPoint/Prezi/Keynote tutorial
FINAL RHETORICAL PROJECT ESSAY DUE BEFORE 11 PM ON 5/4.
Upload it as a Google Doc to your personal homework folder in ENG 1 004 ASSIGNMENT FOLDER.
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SALON
Saturday, May 5th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
PRESENT RHETORICAL PROJECTS AT OUR SALON:
“THINKING ABOUT THINGS: MATERIAL OBJECTS IN CONTEXT.”
Beverages, snacks, a program, the whole deal
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Rhetoric and Composition 