COMP 1A1

Instructor: Margaret Carkeet / Office: Rabb 138
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday8-8:50, 9-9:50 / Office Hours:Monday, Wednesday 10-11 or by appointment
Classroom:Pearlman 203 / Email:

Composition 1A-14/15The Lucky Country:National Identity in AustraliaFall 2014

Whether writing is an activity that you enjoy or one that you avoid whenever possible, it is an important part of your intellectual future.

  • Short term: You will spend a significant percentage of your time at Brandeiswriting: composing essays, essay exam answers, reviews, reports, case studies, response papers, and job cover letters. In particular, next semester you will take the challenging and rigorous University Writing Seminar (UWS).
  • Long term: Later in life, you will be required to write reports, articles, memos, proposals or evaluations.

With its focus on argument, analysis, and revision, Brandeis University’s Composition course prepares students for the writing they will perform during their college years and afterwards. Because it will familiarize you with crucial skills and vocabulary terms, it will give you an edge in the UWS and your other courses. Succeeding in this class means creating clear, persuasive essays that conform to American academic expectations. You have already started to learn how; Composition will help you take the next steps. This theme-based course will develop your writing skills by analyzing literary fiction and film dealing with some aspect of Australia’s national identity. Specifically, we will ask, “What is Australia’s national identity?” “How is it formed?” and “How does it fit within wider theories of nationhood?”

“Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.”When Donald Horne wrote these words in 1964, he meant them as a criticism of a country that, in his view, relied too much on good fortune rather than hard work or its success. Yet the nation took these words to heart, congratulating itself on its natural beauty, plentiful resources and affluent, easy-going lifestyle. In this course, we examine the images of Australia portrayedin media and culture: literature, film, and news reportage. We look at the ways nationalidentity is constructed and questioned, and ask is Australia still the “lucky country”?

Required Course Texts

Writing in Response by Matthew Parfitt

Write Now!(A collection of essays written in last year’s UWS classes)

Both Writing in Response and Write Now! are available in the Brandeis bookstore.

Course Requirements

Essay 1: Close Reading: In this assignment, you will formulate an argument about Australian bush life by analyzing the short story “The Drover’s Wife,” by Henry Lawson.

Essay 2: Lens Analysis: Using Tim Edensor’s theorization of the role of landscape in English national identity, you will develop an argument about the Baz Luhrmann filmAustralia that shows how Edensor’s text can be applied to the Australian setting.You will also argue how the film conforms to, challenges, or complicates Edensor’s theories.

Essay 3: Research Paper: For your final paper of this class, you will research a film or story that engages withAustralian multicultural affairs and make an argument, through the lenses ofinclusive and exclusive theories of nationalism, about the different points of view on Australia’s treatment of its non-Anglo people.

Portfolio:At the end of class you will consolidate all of your work (including pre-draft assignments, rough drafts, final drafts, and peer review sheets) and put it together in a word document—this is your portfolio. You will emailit to me, together with a letter describing how your understanding of yourself as a writer has changed over the course of the semester.This means that you need to save on your computer all your writing from the semester.

Course Procedures

Drafting:

Four steps lead up to the final draft of each essay:

  • Pre-draft assignments.Each essay will be preceded by two or three pre-draft assignments—short pieces of writing designed to help you develop ideas—and you will submit some of these on latte and others in hard copy.These assignments will receive either a check or a check minus and will count as part of your overall grade. You can re-submit any work that receives a check minus up until the end of the unit to which the pre-draft belongs.
  • First drafts.You are required to turn in a first draft of each paper.These drafts are important opportunities for you to receive feedback from me and your classmates in peer review.I do not expect these drafts to be polished, but I do expect them to be complete—otherwise we cannot give you useful advice.
  • Peer Review.After the first draft of each paper is due, you will form a group with two of your classmates and read each other’s drafts.In class you will give your partners feedback.I will collect your peer review letters and they will count as part of your grade.These activities increase your sense of audience awareness and give you an opportunity to reflect on the concepts we have discussed in class.
  • Conferences.Each student will have three twenty-minute conferences with me over the course of the semester, one to discuss each first draft.Attendance is required; missing a conference is the equivalent of missing a class.Sign-up sheets will be distributed in class.

Course Policies

Grades

  • Close reading essay:20%
  • Lens essay:25%
  • Researched argument:35%
  • Class participation (includes research presentations):10%
  • Portfolio (includes Latte posts, pre-drafts, and peer reviews):10%

Classroom Expectations

  • Bring your marked-up copy of the required readings, and Write Now! to class
  • Come ready to contribute to the discussion
  • Mobiles turned off or silenced (no texting in class)
  • No laptops
  • You will be graded on classroom attendance and participation

Class participation

Your consistent participation in class sessions constitutes a significant portion of your grade and is the most critical component of a successful course. Class participation includes:

  • Your prompt, prepared, alert, consistent attendance
  • Bringing the required texts to each class
  • The completion of reading assignments by the dates listed in the syllabus
  • Your thoughtful contributions to class discussions

Writing Center

The University Writing Center, located on the first floor of Goldfarb Library just around the corner from the computer clusters, provides free one-on-one help with your essays. You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this service. Writing Center tutors are well trained and will work with you in 45 minute sessions that you can schedule online: ( Students who take advantage of this service will receive a form during their tutorial that will entitle them to a 24-hour extension on the final draft of their essay. Essays will be due electronically by 5:00 PM of the following day. Only one extension is allowed per essay.

Formatting

All essays will be submitted to me and your peers electronically. Essays must use 1-inch margins and 12 point Times New Roman font. Do not enlarge your punctuation—I can tell. Essays must have a title, be double-spaced and have page numbers. Pre-drafts that are submitted in hard copy in class must be typed and stapled.

Late Work, Extensions and Minimum Page Requirements

I am usually willing to offer extensions, given legitimate reasons.If a catastrophe happens and you are afraid your work will not be completed in time, contact me more than 24 hours before the due date and arrange for an extension.Otherwise, late work, including first drafts, will be penalized by a third of a grade per day (B+BB- and so on) on the final paper. If a paper is due electronically at 5:00 PM and you submit it at 5:01 PM, it is late. In addition, final papers that do not meet minimum page requirements will be penalized by a third of a grade for each page that the paper falls short.

Attendance

Missing classes is strongly discouraged. You are allowed four absences.For each additional absence your final grade will be penalized by a third of a grade.More than 6 absences will result in a failing grade.Please contact me in the event of an emergency.

Laptops and Cellphones

Laptops are not allowed in this class unless you need special accommodations.Please turn off your cellphone while in class.

Academic Honesty

You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work.The University policy on academic honesty is distributed annually in section 5 of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook.Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System.Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the University.If you have any questions about my expectations, please ask.

Accommodations

If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in class, please see me right away.

Composition Outcomes

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

  • Use writing and discussion to work through and interpret complex ideas from readings and other texts (e.g., visual, musical, verbal)
  • Critically analyze your own and others' choices regarding language and form (e.g., in student texts or formally published texts)
  • Engage in multiple modes of inquiry using text (e.g., field research, library-based inquiry, web searching)
  • Incorporate significant research (as above) into writing that engages a question and/or topic and uses it as a central theme for a substantive, research-based essay
  • Use writing to support interpretations of text, and understand that there are multiple interpretations of text
  • Consider and express the relationship of your own ideas to the ideas of others

Processes

  • Use written, visual, and/or experience-based texts as tools to develop ideas for writing
  • Understand that writing takes place through recurring processes of invention, revision, and editing
  • Develop successful, flexible strategies for your own writing through the processes of invention, revision, and editing
  • Experience and understand the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes
  • Learn to critique your own and others' work
  • Be reflective about your writing processes

Knowledge of Conventions

  • Understand the conventions of particular genres of writing
  • Use conventions associated with a range of dialects, particularly standardized written English (but not necessarily limited to it)
  • Recognize and address patterns in your writing that unintentionally diverge from patterns expected by their audience/s
  • Practice using academic citational systems (MLA) for documenting work

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

[L = on LATTE]

[WR = Writing in Response]

[WN = Write Now!]

NB: Please bring a copy of the week’s readings (with your annotations) and your copy of Write Now!to each class

Intro

Thu, Aug 28 / In-Class:Introductions, syllabus, class policies

MODULE ONE – Close Reading

Week 1

Wed, Sept 3 /
  • Read:
  • Syllabus (L)
  • Essay 1 Assignment Sequence (L)
  • WR on College Writing(1-14)
  • Write: None
  • In-Class: Assignment Sequence, Close reading

Thu, Sept 4 /
  • Read:
  • Henry Lawson, “The Drover’s Wife” (L)
  • WR on Reading with a Purpose(21-26)
  • Write: None
  • In-Class: Lawson, Close reading

Week 2

Mon, Sept 8 /
  • Read:
  • Barbara Baynton, “The Chosen Vessel” (L)
  • WR on Dialectical Notebook(56-59)
  • Write: None
  • In-Class: Baynton, Pre-Draft 1.1

Wed, Sept10 /
  • Read:
  • WR onthesis and motive (110-114, 120-123)
  • “Motivating Moves” (L)
  • Write:Pre-Draft Assignment 1.1 Due 9pm Tuesday, Sept 9
  • Discuss:Thesis and motive,Pre-Draft 1.2

Thu, Sept 11 /
  • Read:WR on Evidence and Claims (123-127)
  • Write: Bring a news article to class with a clear motive, evidence and claims
  • In-Class: Thesis, motive workshop, evidence, analysis, claim

Week 3

Mon, Sept 15 /
  • Read:
  • Grading Rubric (L)
  • Pre-drafts from peers
  • Write: Post pre-draft 1.2 to latte no later than 5:00 PM on Sun. Sep. 14. Respond to your peers no later than midnight on Sun. Sep. 14.
  • Discuss:Grading, workshop pre-drafts

Wed, Sept 17 /
  • Read:WRon Introductions (129-131)
  • Write:None
  • Discuss:Titles, introductions

Thu, Sept 18 /
  • Read: None
  • Write:Draft of Essay 1 with cover letter due electronically by midnight to me and your peers.
  • Discuss: Introductions; bring your introductory paragraph to class

Week 4

Mon, Sept 22 /
  • Read: Your peers’ essays and offer margin comments
  • Write: Peer cover letters—bring these to class and email the marked up copies of your peers’ essays by midnight on Sun., Sept. 21
  • Discuss:Peer Review Workshop

MODULE TWO – Applying a Lens

Tue, Sept 23 /
  • Read:
  • Essay 2 Assignment Sequence (L)
  • “Applying a Reading as a Lens” (L)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:Essay Two; What is a lens; Preview Australia

Wed, Sept 24 /
  • Read: Watch Australia (L)
  • Write: None
  • In-class: Australia

Fri, Sept 26 / Final Revision of Essay #1 plus cover letter due by email by midnight to me.

**CONFERENCE 1 THIS WEEK**

Week 5

Mon, Sept 29 /
  • Read: Edensor’s “Geography and Landscape” (L)
  • Write: Pre-draft 2.1 due in class
  • In-class: Workshop reverse outlines

Wed, Oct 1 /
  • Read: None
  • Write:Analyze a scene from Australia that seems to use Edensor’s notion of national identity encoded in landscape. Cite one piece of evidence (dialogue) and bring a hard copy of your paragraph to class.
  • Discuss:Edensor, Australia

Thu, Oct 2 /
  • Read: None
  • Write:Write one paragraph that does a close reading of the final scene in Australia where Nullah leaves to join his grandfather King George on “walkabout.” Cite one piece of evidence. Print out your paragraph and bring it to class (I will collect these).
  • Discuss:Australia final scene analysis

Week 6

Mon, Oct 6 /
  • Read: None
  • Write: Pre-draft 2.2 due in class
  • Discuss: Debate

Wed, Oct 8 /
  • Read:Lens Essay in Write Now (pp. TBA).
  • Write: Write a paragraph about how the author uses the lens in the Write Now! essay. Cite one piece of evidence and bring a hard copy of your paragraph to class.
  • Discuss:Write Now

Week 7

Mon, Oct 13 /
  • Read: None
  • Write: Your thesis and motive: Post your thesis and motive to LATTE no later than 5:00 PM on Sunday Oct. 12. Respond to your peers no later than midnight on Sunday, Oct. 12.
  • Discuss:Conclusions, counter-arguments, workshop thesis and motive

Wed, Oct 15 /
  • Read:
  • Lens Essay in Write Now (pp. TBA)
  • WR on Evaluating the Argument (84)
  • WR on Representing Another’s Ideas Fairly and Accurately (85-7)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:Integrating quotations, modeling a lens essay

Fri, Oct 17 / Pre-draft 2.3 due by email to me by midnight

Week 8

Mon, Oct 20 /
  • Read: WRon Transitions (140, 188-189)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:Transitions

Wed, Oct 22 /
  • Read:Inclusive Theories of Nationalism (L)
  • Write: Draft of Essay 2 with cover letter due electronically by 5:00 PM to me and your peers
  • Discuss: Inclusive Theories of Nationalism

Thu, Oct 23 /
  • Read:
  • “The Kyogle Line” by David Malouf (L)
  • Exclusive Theories of Nationalism (L)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss: Exclusive Theories of Nationalism; Nationalism in “The Kyogle Line”

Week 9

Mon, Oct 27 /
  • Read:
  • Your peers’ papers
  • WR on Writing with Style (244-253)
  • Write:
  • Letters to your peers: email your letters and marked up essays to your peers no later than midnight on Sunday, October 26
  • Bring a copy of your draft to class
  • Discuss: peer review, passive voice

MODULE THREE – Research

Wed, Oct 29 /
  • Read:
  • Watch Marking Time (L)
  • Write:
  • Discuss: Research Assignment sequence, Marking Time

Thu, Oct 30 /
  • Read:
  • Essay 3 Assignment Sequence (L)
  • Watch Jindabyne (L)
  • Write:
  • Discuss: Jindabyne

**CONFERENCE 2 THIS WEEK**

Week 10

Mon, Nov3 /
  • Read:“West Suburbia Boys” by Luke Carman (L)
  • Write: Final Essay 2 with cover letter due email by midnight
  • Write a paragraph that links Carman’s short story to our research topic: Based on this story, what kind of argument might we make about Australian national identity?
  • Discuss: “West Suburbia Boys”

Wed, Nov 5 /
  • Read:
  • WR on Finding Scholarly Articles (284-296)
  • WR on Evaluating Sources (308-313)
  • Write:
  • Discuss: Using sources, In-class library session

Thu, Nov 6 /
  • Library field trip: meet in classroom

Week 11

Mon, Nov 10 /
  • Read: “Sources Across the Disciplines” (L)
  • Write: Pre-Draft Assignment 3.1 Dueby email by midnight
  • Discuss:Annotated bibliographies; Write Now! Different uses for sources

Wed, Nov 12 /
  • Read:
  • Research Essay in Write Now (pp. TBA).
  • Write: Write a paragraph that discusses how each of the first three body paragraphs in the Write Now! essay uses sources: use the “Sources Across the Disciplines” to categorize the work that sources are doing.
  • Discuss:Modeling a research paper

Thu, Nov 13 /
  • Read:WR on Documentation and Scholarship (329-330, 343-352)
  • Write:Pre-draft 3.2 due by email by midnight
  • Discuss:Citations, Plagiarism

**CONFERENCE 3 THIS WEEK*

Week 12

Mon, Nov 17 /
  • Read:
  • WR on Revising Your Thesis (134-138)
  • WR on Refining your Research (296-299)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:Narrowing research topics

Wed, Nov 19 /
  • Read: None
  • Write: Pre-draft 3.3 due by email by midnight
  • Discuss:Stylish sentences

Thu, Nov 20 /
  • Read:Research Essay in Write Now! (pp. TBA)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss: Workshop pre-drafts, using multiple sources, thesis and motive in research essays

Week 13

Mon, Nov 24 /
  • Read:
  • WR on Drafting and Revising [Research Papers] (319-322)
  • WR on MLA Style (354-362)
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:MLA citation workshop

Thanksgiving – Nov 26-30

Mon, Dec 1 /
  • Read: None
  • Write: Draft Essay 3 with cover letter due electronically by 5:00 PM to me and your peers.
  • Discuss: Conclusions (bring your concluding paragraphs to class) , presentations

Wed, Dec 3 /
  • Read: Your peers’ papers
  • Write: Letters to your peers: email your letters and marked up essays to your peers no later than midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
  • Discuss: Peer review, presentations

Week 14

Thu, Dec 4 /
  • Read: None
  • Write: None
  • Discuss:Presentations

Mon, Dec 8 / LAST DAY OF CLASS
  • Read:
  • Write:
  • Discuss: Wrap-up and review (course evaluations); Contents of portfolio review letter.

Wed, Dec 10 / Portfolios due electronically by midnight (must be in one document), including: portfolio cover letter, final research cover letter and final research essay.