Freshman English 1

ENGL 101: Section

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Instructor: Penelope MacDonald

Room:

Email:

Office: Wheatley-06-70

Office Hours: Monday,Wednesday, and Friday11:00-12:00and by appointment

Course Description: Freshman English at UMass Boston is a carefully designed sequence of two required General Education courses that teach critical reading and writing as interconnected activities: English 101 and English 102. In all Freshman English sections, you will learn to write as a reader and to read as a writer in ways that prepare you for college-level assignments. Freshman English at UMass Boston teaches you to make academic arguments that use source materials, to write thoughtful analyses of complex readings, and to understand or articulate your experience in relation to the sources with which you are learning to work with.

The core beliefs about academic reading and writing shape the teaching methods and materials in each of these courses. Each is designed as a sequence of writing assignments that allow you to reach higher levels of articulation and understanding through a sustained process of inquiry. This process involves activities that continue throughout the semester: developing strategies for reading and interacting with academic texts, writing informal responses to these sources; writing reflectively about how your experience relates to ideas and arguments in source materials; researching ideas; and engaging in drafting, peer response, and revision of your essays. Because writers learn though guided practice, you will be asked to revise your drafts after you receive feedback from your instructor and from your peers. Through revision and sequenced activities, you will develop a stronger understanding of how to see a writing project through at the college level and to make you own mark on a subject.

As a member of this class, you will learn to experience the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds as a rich source of meaning for your writing. The word “meaning,” is in fact the most important word in the Freshman English Program’s philosophy. Our aim is to teach you to make your meaning the center of your reading-and-writing process. Constructing your own meaning in relation to what others have written, you will become a real writer (and not just someone merely filling assignments). While good organization, an eloquent phrase, and correct punctuation and spelling are valuable in Freshman English as well as your other college courses, a grasp of these features alone will never produce a real writer. Instead, powerful questions, compelling ideas—new meanings – make writers. The goal is that you begin to acquire a deep sense of yourself as a writer.

This course will focus on a wide array of interpretations in relation to a discussion of “American Culture”. As a class, we will focus our attention on critical writing in relation to various readings, (fiction, non-fiction, articles, essays, poems etc.), in order to create an idea and or concept around the idea of “culture” and how culture is defined in today’s society. How do we know what culture means and what “American Culture” means? How do we define and look at various categories of culture, i.e. politics, gender, food, education, sports, technology, race, etc. What do we need to know about ourselves to define our views and opinions as individuals and collective members of society in a specific culture? This semester we will explore each of these questions and ideas as well as many others through in depth critical reading, writing, reflection and sharing of ideas. We will explore culture and attempt to define it through said reading and writing of various genres and fields. In order to achieves this “exploration”, we will read and write, and discuss, and read and write some more, and discuss some more until we develop further into critical writers, thinkers and readers!

The Writing Proficiency Requirement: Except for students in the College of Management, all UMass Boston undergraduates complete the University’s Writing Proficiency Requirement through the Writing Proficiency Evaluation (WPE). The Writing Proficiency Requirement is not the same as the writing placement test you may have taken when you entered UMass Boston. The WPE can be met through either an examination or a take-home essay submitted along with a portfolio of papers written for UMB courses. See the WPR website, for more details about the exam and portfolio options and dates. Students who have not already satisfied the WPR should arrange to take the exam or submit a portfolio shortly after completing this course.

Support Services for Students:The Academic Support Office offers both individual tutoring and drop-in workshops for students who need help with the critical reading, thinking and writing skills necessary for success in General Education courses such as this one. More information is available online ( or at their Campus Center office (CC1-1300).

The Ross Center for Disability Services (CCUL-0211) provides accommodations and educational resources for students with demonstrated needs, as outlined on their website ( ). Should you be eligible for these services, you should contact the Ross Center right away so that their staff can help you identify appropriate accommodations in this and other courses. Finally, if it appears that you might not pass this course and if the instructor cannot figure out how to support your success in the course, the instructor might inform one of the University advisers working with the Student Referral Program. This strictly confidential program is part of an early warning system designed to help students address personal and academic difficulties that may interfere with their progress in the University.

Additional Student Services:

University Advising Center:

617 287 5500

Campus Center, 1st floor

University Health Services:

UHS Counseling Center:

617 287 5690

Quinn, 2nd floor

UHS General Medicine:

617 287 5660

Quinn, room 2 – 040

International Student Services:

617 287 5500

Campus Center, first floor, room 1100.07

Student Veterans Center:

617 287 7985

3100 Campus Center, on the left in the back

Office of Career Services & Internships:

617 287 5519

Campus Center, 1st Floor, room 1300

Public Safety:

617 287 1212 (from a cell phone)

911 (from a campus phone)

Emergency Evacuation:

You must evacuate when a fire alarm sounds. Take your valuables and follow the exit signs calmly but quickly. Once outside, move away from the building.

Student Plagiarism and Classroom Behavior: Students are expected to abide by the University’s Code of Student Conduct in all their classes at UMass Boston ( Plagiarism is a particularly serious violation, as outlined in the Academic Honesty section of the code (section VI), and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person’s work, research, ideas and/or thoughts, and will not be tolerated in this class. The following all constitute plagiarism: Using a document or part of a document written by another student; buying an essay or term paper from one of the services that sell such documents; using a document published on the Web; having someone else write as essay or term paper for you; or having someone so drastically edit your work that it no longer your work. It is always essential to use quotation marks around any words/phrases/sentences that are not yours, and to properly cite the source of the quotation or information. Plagiarism will result in failure/and or dismissal from this course.

Please consult the following link:

Offensive and insulting behavior undermines the sense of community that the Freshman English Classrooms strive to build. Class discussion and group projects can be productive only in a climate of respect for the opinions and beliefs of all. A healthy exchange about issues may include disagreement about ideas, but it must not demean the character or background of the individuals holding those ideas.An educational institution is a unique cultural space: here, the open sharing of ideas is not only possible, but valued above all else. Intellectual exchange depends on showing respect for your instructor and peers, taking responsibility for your own course contributions, and demonstrating a mature understanding that learning can involve disagreement over ideas and assessment. If you engage in uncivil behavior, such as making inappropriate comments to your professor or fellow students in the classroom, out of the classroom, or via email or social networking sites, you can be referred to the Chair of the English Department for sanctions that can include the lowering of your course grade. You can also be referred to the Dean of Students.

In addition, classroom behavior includes your attention and active participation in class discussions and activities. This means that distractions such as cell phones, using your lap top for anything other than work for this class, talking amongst yourselves when I or another student is talking, arriving late or leaving early, are all unacceptable. If you must have your phone out for a personal reason, or you must leave early etc., please speak to me before class.

Incompletes: Incompletes are rarely offered, as they are reserved for students who are unable to complete a small portion of the course at the end of the term due to an extreme circumstance such as illness. Incompletes are not allowed to replace a significant amount of coursework or absences. If you are awarded an Incomplete, you must sign a contract with your instructor outlining the work to be done and work due dates. Although an INC automatically turns into an F after a year, your Incomplete work will typically be due before the year’s end.

Required Texts: For classroom purposes, you must have the exact edition that is in the bookstore. If you purchase your books online, make sure the edition has the same ISBN number as listed below.

  • 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology, Fourth Edition, Bedford St. Martins

(ISBN #:978-1457638992)

  • The Little Seagull Handbook, Second Edition, Norton(ISBN #:978-0-393-93580-6)
  • You will often be asked to print outside materials off of our course wiki page and bring the printout(s) and or readings to class. You are also required to bring any text we are working on that day to class. (You must bring in a printed copy or electronic copy in order to receive participation credit for class that day.)

Course Grade Determination:

Paper 1: (including workshop & rough draft): 15%

Paper 2 (including workshop & rough draft): 20%

Paper 3 (including workshop & rough draft): 20%

Final Presentation: 15%

Weekly Assignments and Journal: 20%

Participation/Attendance: 10%

Email and Meeting: I will be using WISER to send out class information, updates and documents. Make sure you check your UMB account every day. (You may forward your UMB email to an email account of your choice.)I am always happy to discuss your work with you both inside and outside of class. If you are unable to meet with me during my office hours, feel free to make an appointment. You are also welcome to email me with any questions about assignments or anything else happening in the course. I can reply to timely, not last-minute, messages. That being said, please format your emails appropriately as it is courteous and good practice for your time here at UMass as well as in the future. This means when you sent me an email, please include your name, your class and section, and why you are emailing me, (i.e. a question on a paper, for further clarification, etc.).

Course Wiki: This course also has its own wiki page. Each of you will receive an invitation to the course wiki, please follow the link and join the wiki:

The wiki page will be a space for class news and updates, assignments will be posted to the wiki, copies of class handouts can be found on the wiki page, and there will also be outside readings that your must print and bring to class.

Attendance: Attending class and arriving on time is crucial to your success in this course and to the success of the course in general. You have three absences for the semester. If you miss class, it is your absolute responsibility to come to me, or a classmate, to find out what you missed and to complete all missed work. If you are going to be absent on a day a paper is due, arrange to turn it in ahead of time with me. Also, in class work cannot be made up, (i.e. quick writes, reading quizzes, paper workshops. You may not miss more than six class sessions and pass the course due to the grade breakdown. All Freshman English courses are carefully sequenced so that most lessons are taught and modeled through in-class activities, not through a textbook or website. In order to succeed, you will therefore need to attend class and arrive on time. Repeated absences and chronic tardiness will affect the quality of your work and hence the grades you receive.If you know you are going to miss a class, please notify me via email so that you can find out what you missed during class. If you need to miss more than two consecutive classes, you are required to contact me via email.Any student who misses more than six classes by the November 25thwithdrawal deadline will be recommended to drop the course.

Course Assignments: As Freshman English students, you will write 3 formal papers that are preceded by shorter, informal pieces of writing and followed by revisions. The course is a sequence of assignments that build upon each other, not a set of separate tasks. To succeed, you therefore need to keep up with the sequence. If you repeatedly miss deadlines or fail to complete assignments, it will affect the quality of your work to such a degree that you may end up failing the course.

You will be asked to turn in taken home written assignments, amongst a number of other in class writing assignments. These assignments will focus on the reading for class or class discussion. These assignments will vary, (i.e. quick writes, reading logs, dialectical journals, presentations, workshops, etc.), according to the materials we are covering in class each week. You will always know the reading and writing assignments, as well as what’s expected, ahead of time.

Submissions of Assignments: All assignments are due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted. Assignments are due in hard copy format, in class (emailed papers will not be accepted except in extreme circumstances) and must be typed, Times New Roman, 12pt font. Please note that technology excuses are not accepted. Take advantage of free services, (i.e. Dropbox, Google Drive, Email) to save your assignments. Arrive to campus with plenty of time to print out your paper!

When students are absent, they must turn in any missed assignments on the day they return to class, unless they have been given prior approval. It is the student’s responsibility to explain the reason for late work. A reason does not excuse the lateness; it explains the lateness. I may not have time to provide feedback on late work; thus, by turning work in late, students may deny themselves the benefit of teacher commentary necessary for subsequent steps in the assignment. An assignment or essay received after class is considered late and will be marked off one third of letter grade for each class day it is late unless otherwise specified by myself. For example, if the paper is due Monday and you wrote a “B” paper, but you turn it in Wednesday, it will become a “B-“. That being said, I understand there can sometimes be unfortunate circumstance that arrives that may keep you from completing a paper on time. You may discuss this RARE circumstance with me in order to receive an extension.

Final Presentation: A formal assignment explanation will be handed out toward the end of the semester. These final projects will allow you to creatively express your individual understanding of critical reading and writing, which will be worth 15% of your final grade. As we get closer to the end of the semester you will receive a handout that will contain the specifics of your final project assignment and presentation.

Class Schedule

*Subject to change at instructor’s discretion*

*All readings are due the day they are listed*

UNIT ONE: CULTURE AND ITS FOUNDATION

Week One: Introduction, Syllabus and Student Assessment

Sept. 9: Syllabus, Introductions,Activity

11:General Discussion of Reading and Writing Stratagies

Freshman English Student Questionnaire/Writing Sample

(Handed out and completed in class)

Week Two:

14: Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

Newsroom Clip Response Due

15:Add/Drop Ends

16: Selections from Howard Zinn’sA People’s History(Wiki)

Little Seagull,

18:Jamaica Kincaid, “The Ugly Tourist”

Jefferson Cont’d.

Week Three:

21: Malcolm X, “Learning to Read”

Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter From Birmingham Jail”