ENGLISH 1010 MW11A (0138)
Mon & Wed 11:00-12:15, 4109 Boylan Professor Harris Solomon
Office Hours: Wed 10:00-11:00, 2311 Boylan (& by appt)
Course Introduction
Welcome to English 1010! This class is a writing workshop in which you will develop your expository writing and critical thinking. We will cover the fundamentals of writing, editing and revising and you will complete frequent writing assignments that cover various forms of expository writing. Above all, this course will help you grow as a writer and a thinker. It does not matter if your passion is English or Chemistry or Economics—what you learn here will inform you college experience.
Required Course Materials
· The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot. [You should have received this during Freshman Orientation. If you do not have a copy, please obtain one from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies office, 3208 Boylan Hall].
· Course Pack [Available from Far Better Copy, located on Campus Road and Hillel Place]
· A Writer’s Reference: 7th ed., Diana Hacker. [Available from the campus bookstore, or online. You MUST purchase this edition—you may not purchase a previous edition. Come see me if you already have an earlier version from another course].
· Various essays and handouts which I will distribute throughout the semester, either in class or via the internet. You are responsible for printing and bringing any emailed readings with you to class.
Grading Breakdown
Your final grade will be calculated based on the following factors:
· Essays and revisions – 60% (Four at 15% each): You will complete four essays for this course. Essay revisions must involve substantial rethinking of your paper and follow the revision guidelines set forth in each assignment. Your essay grade will sometimes incorporate the improvement from the first draft to the final draft; I will let you know if this is the case for a given assignment.
· Participation and Attendance– 15%: Showing up to class alone isn’t enough. You should be an active participant in this class, meaning that you have done the reading, are present both physically and mentally and add to the class dialogue. I will keep track of your participation. This portion of your grade will also include the satisfactory completion of blog posts, in-class worksheets and any in-class essays or quizzes that we have that otherwise don’t count towards your grade. These assignments will not be graded on a letter scale, but do count, even if they are simply pass / fail.
· Self-Assessment—5%: At the end of the course, you will compile all of your essays and perform a self-assessment. This will involve writing commentaries on each of the essays you have written, as well as a portfolio statement in which you’ll reflect on what you have learned. Failure to complete this assignment or failure to include all drafts can impact your grade.
· Final Exam—20%: All English 1010 students take a standard final exam, which consists of a two-hour, in-class compare and contrast essay. As per English Department guidelines, the final exam will receive a grade of A through C-, No Credit (NC) or in extreme scenarios, an F. You will receive this specialized rubric ahead of time, during the preparatory sessions leading up to the exam.
Assignment Grades
Many students think that getting an A on an assignment is an impossible feat. It’s not, but it helps to know how I’m grading. For each written assignment, I will pass out a specialized assignment rubric that you should read before you begin writing. For general class work, please refer to the grading standard that I pass out at the beginning of the semester.
Office Hours
I am available for meetings, consultations and discussions on Wednesdays from 10:00am to 11:00am in Boylan 2311, immediately before our class. I am also happy to find another time to meet with you if you are unable to make it then.
Always save written work, exercises, quizzes and handouts from this class. DO NOT dispose of anything until you have received your final grade.
Rules of the Class
Attendance
Every student is allowed three unexcused absences. You can be sick, have a doctor’s appointment or oversleep—you do not have to email me ahead of time to let me know. However, after three absences, your grade will go down. If you miss more than five classes, your chances of passing this class are very slim.
Lateness
Late students disrupt the class and miss vital information. Chronic lateness will impact your grade. Please note that two instances of significant lateness (more than ten minutes) will equal one absence. If you arrive more than twenty-five minutes late, you will be counted as absent.
Late Assignments
All assignments must be handed-in, in hard copy, at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Occasionally, I may ask you to email your papers in addition to handing in a hard copy. I will not accept papers that are not printed unless you make prior arrangements with me. Late essays will be marked down one letter grade for every day they are late. You are still responsible for assignments that are due on days you are absent. You must turn them in beforehand, or provide a printed copy to a classmate. I highly recommend that you contact me in advance if you know that an assignment will be late.
Essay Formatting
With the exception of in-class essays, all essays must be typed, double-spaced with no space breaks between paragraphs, 12 pt font and one-inch margins. Always remember to number your pages, preferably while writing the essay, but at the very least by hand. Please do not use fancy font, manipulate your margins, or attempt to do anything else that will alter the length or appearance of your written work. I will know immediately and you will be penalized.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious offense. Submitting other people’s work, words, or ideas as your own will result in zero credit for the assignment as well as further actions with the college that can lead to suspension or expulsion. If you are confused about what constitutes plagiarism, please look at the CUNY policy, which is accessible via the Brooklyn College website.
Technology
Phones must remain off and out of sight during class. If I see you using your phone in class, you will be marked absent for the day. Laptops are generally not allowed in class. If you need to use your laptop because of a disability accommodation or for a particular reason, please feel free to make arrangements with me ahead of time.
Accessibility
In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations, students must be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students with a documented disability or who suspect they may have a disability may meet with someone in the Center for Student Disability Services (718-951-5538). If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services, please provide me with the course accommodation form and discuss your necessary accommodation with me as soon as possible.
Help with Research and Writing
While we will go over things you need to know in class, the library has a host of links to assist you with proper citation format and paraphrasing and quoting other authors at http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu à Research & Writing Help. The Learning Center has writing tutors available to help you with your writing on both a drop-in and ongoing basis; I strongly suggest that you sign up early for weekly appointments as slots fill up quickly.
A Word on Participation
This class is interactive. In addition to asking you to leave your phone off and pay attention, I ask that you participate. Have an opinion on the readings—it’s okay if you hate them, but it’s not okay if you don’t care. Ask questions, ask for clarification, make comments. Just doing the work isn’t enough—you need to be present both physically and mentally in my classroom.
What you Can Expect from Me
I understand that I ask a lot of you. In return, you can expect that I will be prepared and engaged for each class, that I will make myself available to you for individual meetings, and that I will grade and return your work to you within a reasonable amount of time. If you have a problem with anything in the class, feel that you don’t understand something, are worried about your grade, or just want to discuss an idea for your paper, I will be here for you. However, I can’t help you if you don’t reach out to me. I want everyone to succeed in this class.
Tentative Schedule
Assignments, readings and due dates may change based on how long we take to cover certain topics and where our areas of interest lie.
8/27: In Class: Introductions and Syllabus
8/29: Reading Due: “Prologue,” from Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks In class: Writing exercise and office hours sign-up
9/3: NO CLASS [College closed for Labor Day]
9/5: NO CLASS [Cancelled]
9/10: Reading Due: “I Hate Brighton Beach” and “City Limits.” In Class: Pages 67-68 in Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. In class: Narration and Place
9/12: Reading Due: “Thank You, Esther Forbes” and “Narration.” In class: Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
9/17: NO CLASS [College closed]
9/19: First Draft Due from Learning Center Visit Assignment [Requires all students to go over narrative essay with a Learning Center tutor before class and receive sign-off]. Reading Due: “Mother Tongue.” In class: Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
9/24: Final Draft Essay 1 Due / In Class: Introduction to Argument
9/26: NO CLASS [College closed]
10/1: Reading Due: “Argument” [Email] and “The Poverty Clinic”
10/3: Reading Due: “Serving In Florida” and Hacker C1a-b
10:/8: NO CLASS [College closed for Columbus Day]
10/10: Writing Due: Blog Posts for Essay 2 Reading Due: “Workshop Guidelines”
10/15: First Draft Essay 2 Due. Reading Due: “Rice” and “Real Food”
10/17: Reading Due: “How Companies Learn Your Secrets.”
10/22: Reading Due: “My Life’s Sentences”
10/24: Grammar Grab Bag Post Due by 11:59pm on 10/22. In class: Grammar Grab Bag
10/29: Final Draft Essay 2 Due Reading Due: “Two Ways of Looking at America”
10/31: Reading Due: “Supersize Me” and “Don’t Eat the Flan”
11/5: Reading Due: “How to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Paper” and Paper Models. Bring your outline!
11/7: In Class: Essay 3
11/12: Reading Due: “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”
11/14: Reading Due: “The Multitasking Generation”
11/19: First Draft Essay 4 Due (Bring 3 Copies!) In Class: Workshop
11/21: Reading Due: “Why Don’t We Have Any White Kids?”
11/26: Final Draft Essay 4 Due
11/28: CLASS TBD
12/3: Reading Due: Readings for In-Class Practice Exam #1 * / In Class: Practice Exit Exam
12/5: Reading Due: Readings for In-Class Practice Exam #2 Brainstorming Session * / In Class: Brainstorming session for Essay #2 *
12/10: Reading Due: Readings for In-Class Practice Exam #3* / In Class: Practice Exit Exam #3
12/12: Final Portfolio Due (Including Self-Assessment and Commentaries) / In Class: Group Discussions
12/14: FINAL EXAM—10:30-12:30 (Room TBD)