Syllabus for English 102, NEIU

Fall 2008
English 102: Writing II
9-9:50 a.m. M/W/F

Instructor: Olivia Cronk
Office: TBA
Office Hours: Mondays 11-1, Wednesdays 11-2, and by appointment
Phone: TBA
E-mail: TBA—in the meantime, please use: oliviacronk@hotmail.com

Course Description:
This course will provide you with strategies for planning, writing, and revising a research paper. Before you get to the research paper, you will complete many small writing exercises, and you will also execute your own project upon which to base your paper. We will write about and discuss many different kinds of texts (readings, images, videos, sound clips, news articles, art, literature). The formal emphasis is on critical reading and analysis, the structure of argument, and the use of sources. In addition, our course is structured around a theme. There are three important concepts that serve as our foundation: 1) Social Justice, 2) Oppression, and 3) Documentation of Underrepresented Voices. In order to discuss our reading and create new projects, we will be considering a few sets of questions: 1) What is Documentation? What criteria do we use to determine what is “true” Documentation? 2) What voices in our society, past and present, are underrepresented? 3) How then is documentation of the lives of such voices an act of social justice? What wrongs have been committed in the way we organize our histories? 4) What unheard “voices” make up your own experience of the world? How can you document those voices? What kind of research helps you put your documentation into historical, cultural, or societal context? Some terms you will learn, know, and practice include: audience, deductive reasoning, Documentation and documentation, ethos, inductive reasoning, logos, paraphrase, pathos, summary, syntax, thesis, Toulmin logic. Although I expect you to employ editing skills you obtained in Writing 1, I will cover grammatical issues as they arise.

Course Objectives:
Write in a variety of modes, for multiple purposes—with the intent of building your larger project
Read for multiple theses, Connect texts under our themes
Construct theses using clear sentence structure
Use thesis to form an argument
Respond—as both writer and thinker—to texts and cultural documents, especially under our themes
Produce: 1) your own Documentation Project that adheres to our class criteria and responds to your concept of Social Justice, 2) a 10-page research paper that places your own project in a historical, cultural, or societal context, 3) a clear and thorough Social Justice Statement
Follow MLA guidelines for using and citing sources


Academic Integrity:
Please refer to NEIU’s student conduct code at http://www.neiu.edu/~DeanSt/survival/conduct.pdf

In general, anything that falls under the following list is a violation:
• cheating,
• plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation*),
• falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
• helping others to cheat,
• unauthorized changes on official documents,
• pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats
*Generally, this is the most relevant issue for an English class. Do NOT turn in anything that fails to distinguish between your writing and someone else’s. You will fail the assignment and will NOT be allowed to make it up. More than once incident will result in failure of the course.

Policies:

Turn cell phones off completely before coming to class. If you need to be available for a call, inform me in advance and turn the phone to vibrate. If your cell phone rings during class, you may be asked to leave.

Do not come to class if you are more than 20 minutes late. If you are late three times, those tardies will count as one absence.

I will shuffle our schedule as necessary if things come up; I will never move a deadline closer.

You are entitled to three absences without penalty. I do not distinguish between excused or unexcused absences. After three, you lose 1 point per day. You are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what handouts you are missing. After an absence, you should e-mail me to request handouts or any other relevant information.

I do NOT accept late RNs (see below). They can ONLY be turned in the day of discussion, in class (typed).

I can accept late essays up to five days (Final Drafts only), but they will lose a 1/2 point for each day late. If you have documentation of an emergency, I will accept late work without a penalty. If you miss class on a deadline day, you may e-mail your essay to me as an attachment THAT SAME DAY, by 5:00 p.m. I will use the e-mail as a way to verify that you will not be penalized for lateness, but you MUST bring me a hard copy during our next class meeting. I will NOT print your essay. You can also drop essays in my mailbox. I do not guarantee the speed/thoroughness of grades/comments on late essays.

Rough Drafts are due in class; if you do not have a RD on a deadline day, you will be asked to leave class and you will be marked absent.

I will give 10 points extra credit for every documented visit to a Writing Tutor at the Writing Lab (http://www.neiu.edu/~ewlab/).

You may revise any of your short essays/assignments over the semester for a higher grade. When you get it back from me, you can use my comments—and, I recommend, the help of the Writing Lab—to correct errors, re-shape your argument or supporting ideas, and fix any other problems. The new revision must be turned in within one week. The new grade will be an average of your old and new points.

I will announce occasional extra credit as it arises; it is your responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities in a timely manner.

I will return your essays as quickly as possible, with an evaluation form identifying the components of the grade and containing brief comments for you to consider. I may sometimes attach a grammar/mechanics checklist that you will need to use in order to look up your errors in your handbook. Please feel free to meet with me to discuss any unclear comments or notes.

I expect all members of the class to share opinions, writing samples, and observations. Because of this, it is necessary to have an environment that is completely open to diversity in background and ideas. No negativity in this way will be tolerated. Exercise great care in listening to others respectfully and quietly. Because the theme of this class requires that we consider marginalized groups, it is very important that all class members exercise extreme sensitivity and open-mindedness.

I think of my job as a conversation with you all. I try to expose you to an interesting variety of readings, give you a variety of forms in which to write, give you concrete mechanical and grammatical information, provide feedback on the technical details and content of each of your essays, and generally encourage an atmosphere of “ideas.” Please feel free to bring in any outside materials that you think have some sort of value. Please also let me know if there are topics/rules/writers that you want me to cover in lectures.

Textbooks and Materials:
Division Street: America by Studs Terkel. 2006 edition.
How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis. **YOU MUST USE THE DOVER ED.
A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker. 5th edition.

Course Requirements and Breakdown of Points:
Your points will be recorded on the grade sheet you fill out at the start of the term. At any time, you can request the total points earned thus far, as an estimate of your grade. There are 855 points; your final grade is calculated as a percentage of points earned vs. total points. Basically, each and every point is worth 0.11%. For example, if you earn 729 total points, your grade would be 729/855 (85.2%). The relationship between percentages and letter grades is as follows.

A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below

855 points total
(Class Membership=390 points, Writing & Research=465 points)

Class Membership

It is a requirement of this class that you obtain and show me a NEIU library card. You will automatically lose 10 points for failure to do so by the third week of class. You will sometimes use “Reserves” books at the library for reading homework, and, obviously, you will use the library to do research.

Participation=70
This portion includes your blog postings (several times over the semester), your attendance (no more than 3 misses), and your in-class efforts. I expect you to be alert and engaged, to either make thoughtful contributions to our conversation or to carefully and respectfully listen to others’ comments.

Journal and other informal writing (in and out of class)=50
We will begin every class with a journal entry and we will regularly complete writing exercises in class. Please keep ALL informal writing in one notebook, each entry clearly marked.

Leadership of two RN discussions=40
You will sign up for two days to lead, with one to two other people, and create: the journal question for the day, discussion questions and/or an activity for 20-25 minutes of class time. This is NOT a presentation.

Attendance of a cultural event (author’s reading, lecture, forum, art opening)=20
You can attend any event that interests you (and I will announce events in class); you need to simply type up a ½ page (single-spaced) summary that indicates the date and purpose of the event, summarizes your response, proposes a possible “thesis” of the event, and considers our class themes/terms (i.e. Young’s Five Faces or Social Justice or Documentation).

Reading Notes=200 (10 @ 20 points each)
There are 12 RNs assigned; you are responsible for 10 (worth 20 points each). RNs can ONLY be turned in during class, on the day for which the readings are scheduled. Please follow the guidelines carefully, as your points are based on the respective questions. Typos and errors result in grade deductions and/or mandatory grammatical help from me or the Writing Lab.

Reading Notes are a set of questions and concepts you should apply to each reading. These are typed assignments (a FULL page, single-spaced). I expect you to bring these with you to class and to contribute your ideas and responses during class. As you move forward with your own ideas, these might turn into useful “seeds” for your own research. Do not come to class without your RN. NO late RNs will be accepted; there are no exceptions. If you miss class, you will not be able to turn the RN in at the next class. You can think of the RNs as miniature essays that demonstrate the reading and thinking you have done to prepare for class. RNs should be 1-3 paragraphs long. You can focus on particular parts of the reading, but your RNs should reference all the reading you have done for that day’s homework assignment.

(10 points) What is the thesis you have gathered from the reading? What statement do the readings, together or separately, make about our country, culture, society, or the world at large? Do the words or images you see make an argument, or call for action?

(2 points) What are the themes you see in this reading selection? Go beyond poverty and injustice; think about the specific circumstances of the lives being documented.

(2 points) Compare this to something else you have read/seen/heard. How is it like that? Feel free to make a strange connection. Feel free, also, to connect the two texts. You might also consider browsing a reliable news source (like nytimes.com) for connections.

(2 points) Think about what kind of class conversation can come out of the reading. What idea would you like to discuss? Create 1-3 thoughtful discussion questions; expect to share these with the class.

(2 points) If you were going to expand this reading and your thinking into a larger project, what three topics would you research? Be as specific as possible.

(2 points) Make a list of any unknown words. Look them up and write out brief definitions. If no words are new to you, write down information or an idea that is new to you.

Writing & Research

You will receive directions for each assignment in class; it is your responsibility to ask questions at the time of assignment, contact me and/or classmates for missed directions, and follow MLA formatting issues when relevant.

News Analysis 1 (Find an appropriate story by browsing the current stories at nytimes.com, use Young’s ideas to analyze the topic and issues, use DH to put your citations in MLA format—just one single source at the end): 2-3 pages, 20 points (5=thesis, 10=analysis, 5=grammar and citations)

Creative Response 1 (Open letter to any subject in ST, must address the subject, must have a thesis, must consider the subject in the context of contemporary societal concerns, must use at least 3 direct quotes as support): 1-2 pages, 10 points (5=thesis, 2=support/illustration of ideas, 3=grammar and mechanics)

Oral History Practice Project (must use ST method of transcription, must include a paragraph-long introduction, must be thoroughly edited and proofread): 1-2 pages, 20 points (10=intro & clarity of subject matter, 10=organization, proofreading)

News Analysis 2 (same)

Creative Response 2 (Using any example of social injustice—news, our texts, oral history, etc., you will create your own piece of art to respond to that issue. You can use any form you like—creative writing (a poem, a short play, etc.), music, visual art, performance, anything. You will present your piece in class (no more than 15 minutes, no less than 5) and write a paragraph-long explanation of the source material/inspiration.) 20 points (You are graded on the clarity of your introduction and the strength of your presentation. I will NOT judge your artwork in any way.)

“Bridge” Paper (You will write a short essay in which you attempt to connect 3 different “texts” from class—thematically, technically, or any way you choose. “Texts” include: our books, news stories you have read, examples of Documentation and artwork from class meetings, the work of anyone in the class, films, music, etc. Your goal is to make an interesting connection and communicate the connection in a thesis, with clear support in the form of examples (quotes, paraphrasing). You should feel free to use this assignment as a way of thinking about your own project and upcoming research paper. You must include MLA citations and a Works Cited page.) 20 points (10=thesis, 5=support, 5=grammar & mechanics)

Documentation Project
Your Documentation Project should make a record of something. You want to create your own Social Justice Document. Documentation might include: oral history (transcribed and edited, or recorded and turned into a sound piece), photography, video, a web-based feature, a poem, a song, a play, a series of drawings, a comic strip, or ??? The only rule is that it has to be something you can present to the class.

a) Project: 50 points
b) Presentation: 20 points

You must have a clearly identifiable subject (your grandmother, an ex-convict, a rape victim, a community, a family)
Your subject must fall into a social group that you can argue experiences one of Young’s Five Faces (exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, violence) . . . Remember to think in terms of groups, not just individuals.
You must create something that “documents” your subject. Think of yourself as a historian; you are trying to create a historical record of someone/something/a group of people that/who might not be a regular part of our histories.

You will: 1) complete your Documentation, 2) put it into a presentable form, 3) make a list of research topics related to your subject, 4) write a 1-2 page introduction to a research paper—explaining your project and what kind of context your research puts it in, 5) conduct your research (paper is 10 pages total, including intro and statement, but not Works Cited, Documentation attached, any appendices), 6) create and support a thesis, 7) present your project and turn in your paper

Research Paper Components
There are many steps in the completion of your paper. Each one is worth points as a rough draft, and each one is also required in the final paper. You may use ANY/ALL of the above assignments to help build your final paper.

Introduction to the Paper: Explanation of your Documentation Project and Defense according to class criteria
20 points

Annotated Bibliography: you will need 10 sources for this assignment, though you are only required to use 6 for your final paper (no more than 2 websites)
20 points

Argument Arrangement: this is basically an overview of your paper, using thesis and arrangement of information to create your argument. You will need the handout in order to consider: deductive vs. inductive vs. Toulmin.
20 points

Revisions of Intro and Argument
20 points

Intro + first 3 pages of the paper (RD1)
20 points

Intro + first 5 pages (RD2)
20 points

Complete RD (3) of the paper (min. 8 pages)
20 points

Social Justice Statement (this will eventually be attached to your paper)
20 points

Final Product: 100 points:
Introduction (Contextualization/Explanation of Doc. Proj.) (20) // Thesis (your main idea, claim, argument) (20) // Research, Organization of evidence and supporting materials (20) // Social Justice Statement (20) // Overall presentation (including grammar, mechanics, adherence to MLA rules) (20)




Schedule:

ST=Studs Terkel
JR=Jacob Riis
RES=Book/Reading Materials on Reserve
DH=Diana Hacker Handbook
RN=Reading Notes

M Aug 25
Introductions, Defining terms, Class Materials, Begin handout (“The Five Faces of Oppression”), Example of RN
HMWK: 1. Finish handout, take notes, prepare ideas for your assigned section, 2. RN1: ST: Foreword, Prefatory Notes, Florence Scala, Lucy Jefferson, Gene Willis, Jan Powers

W Aug 27
Discussion of Young, Discussion of ST, Bob Dylan song
HMWK: RN 2: ST: Kid Pharaoh, Stan Lenard, Eva Barnes

F Aug 29
Discussion of ST, Develop Criteria for “documentation,” Carolyn Forche poem, Example of News Analysis
HMWK: News Analysis 1 and BRING JR to class

M Sep 1=NO CLASS

W Sep 3
Receive official copy of our class criteria, News Day, Look at NYT “Faces of the Dead” and “Miss America,” Skim JR
HMWK: RN3: JR Ch. 1-5, ST: Lucky Miller, Bonnie Dawson, Mrs. Fuqua Davies (Your RN should try to combine observations on BOTH texts; you do NOT need 2 RNs.)

F Sep 5
Discussion of ST and JR, More images, Image Exercise, Examples of Creative Resp. 1
HMWK: Creative Response 1—BRING 2 COPIES

M Sep 8
Letter Exchange (Take letter home, read it, post a response letter—just a paragraph—on the blog), Sign up for discussion leadership, Slave Narratives, Practice Oral History
HMWK: 1. Blog posting, 2. RN4: ST (Therese Carter and Helen Peters) and RES. “The Fifties” (p. 175-199), leaders?

W Sep 10
Discussion of ST, The Fifties—leaders // Talk about Oral History, Listen to clip from “Story Corps” (if we run out of time, you will need to listen to this at home) // Oral History Assignment (due next Wednesday)
HMWK: 1. Read DH—TBA, take notes as a journal entry, 2. RN5: JR—JUST images—p. 48, p. 51, p. 53, p.58, p. 60, p.74, p.76 AND analyze the images in 2-3 advertisements—leaders? 3. Work on your Oral History Project

F Sep 12
Discussion of JR, ads—leaders, Grammar/Mechanics info from DH, Intro to Dorothea Lange
HMWK: 1. Work on Oral History, 2. RN6: RES—“Impounded” (p. 3-7, p.16-23, choose images from each of the following sections: p.86-110, p. 112-131, p.134-160), 3. Read OR listen to speech at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ewieselperilsofindifference.html, 4. Leaders should prepare questions related to Lange’s pictures and Wiesel’s speech, though the RN only needs to cover Lange

M Sep 15
Discussion of Lange and Wiesel, Handout: Trauma On Loan (begin in class)
HMWK: 1. Finish Oral History: You do NOT need to bring a hard copy; simply post your assignment on the blog. Posts must be complete by Wednesday at 9; if you have any trouble, bring the hard copy to class. 2. Finish Trauma on Loan—no RN, but leaders should prepare

W Sep 17
Discuss Oral Histories, Discuss Trauma on Loan
HMWK: News Analysis 2

F Sep 19
News Day, Harpers Scavenger Hunt, Explanation of Creative Response 2 (randomly draw deadlines)
HMWK: 1. Brainstorm for CR2 (due M Sep 29, W Oct 1, F Oct 3), 2. RN7: ST: Henry Lorenz, Lew Gibson, Mike Kostelnik, Mrs. James Winslow, Bob Carter—leaders

M Sep 22
Discussion of ST—leaders, Student Examples of Doc. Project. (you should have at least 3 ideas of what you would like to do)
HMWK: 1. Work on CR2, 2. RN8: Handout (Pyongang comic strip) and read http://www.northkoreanrefugees.com/testimony.html (just the testimony)--post your RN on the blog and post one link to something you mention in your comparison (no need to bring a hard copy to class)—leaders, prepare as you see fit

W Sep 24
Discussion—leaders, More student examples, Catching up, Sign up for individual conferences for Oct 6, 8, 10
HMWK: 1. RN9: Read from the very first year of postings AND most recent at: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/ . . . you can also look at it in book form in RES. (Baghdad Burning)—leaders // ALSO: tell me by Thursday afternoon (e-mail) if you need any special equipment

F Sep 26
Discussion of Baghdad Burning—leaders, Examining Cultural Documents (film clips, The Girl’s Own Paper, The Underworld Sewer, Ted Koppel on Nightline, songs, Aztec poetry, Lomax recordings, Arielle Greenberg, Brothers Grimm, Charles Daumier, )
HMWK: 1. Finish CR2, Prepare presentation, 2. Blog posting: examine a cultural document: look at a popular/viral video on YouTube, or a website, or a TV show, or a movie; write a paragraph about what this tells us about our culture at this moment and whether or not there are any Social Justice themes/issues here; and provide a link to the document or to some background.

M Sep 29-F Oct 3
Presentations, Cultural Documents
HMWK: Do 2 RNs (10, 11) for Friday’s class. One should cover ST (Ross Pelletier, Charlie Landesfahr, Jesus Lopez). Another should cover JR (Ch. 9 and 10). Next week is Conferences.

M Oct 6-F Oct 10
Individual Conferences—No class meetings
HMWK: For next Monday (13): 1. In your journal, make a list of every text we have looked at so far, 2. Type up your proposed ideas for your documentation project (after we have met and discussed it), 3. RN 12: Handout “Rock the Junta” (you will receive at your conference)—leaders

M Oct 13
Turn in proposal, Discussion of Rock the Junta—leaders, Making connections, Tribond & “ingenium”, Preparing for Bridge Essay (due Friday 17)
HMWK: Work on Bridge Essay, Read DH--TBA

W Oct 15
Grammar & Mechanics Day, Catching up
HMWK: Work on Bridge Essay, Read DH (again)--TBA

F Oct 17
Writing Exercises, Grammar & Mechanics
HMWK: 1. Work on your Documentation Project (should be complete by Oct 22), write a rough draft/sketch of your intro in your journal, go through all your old supplies (papers, RNs, handouts) and see what you can use // 2. Do one blog posting—just a link to something you think is relevant

M Oct 20
Library Preparation Day (Topics List), Questions & Problems, Student Examples
HMWK: 1. Work on your Intro (due M Oct 27), 2. Make a list of research questions for yourself, 3. Read through handouts from me (Bruce Ballenger; Citations quick-list; They Say, I Say; Hacker (review); Reading Strategies, Argumentation styles)

W Oct 22
Library Time
HMWK: 1. Do research (Annotated Bib. is due W Oct 29), 2. Create a list of three useful techniques/concepts/strategies for reading/writing/researching

F Oct 24
Make a class list of strategies/good habits, Questions & Problems, Student Example
HMWK: Intro is due Monday, Ann. Bib. is due Wednesday // WORK, READ, WRITE

M Oct 27
Turn in Intros, Lecture on Argumentation and Thesis, Poetry exercise (finding thesis)
HMWK: Annotated Bibliography

W Oct 29
Discuss Argument Arrangement Essay (will be due next Monday), More thesis
HMWK: 1.Read Emma Goldman speech at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/emmagoldmanjuryaddress.htm
You can do an extra credit RN if you need it; otherwise, just READ. Leaders prepare questions, 2. Work on paper, Argument Arrangement Essay, research, etc.

F Oct 31
Discussion of Emma Goldman, Student Example, Time-permitting? Ghost Stories (Folklore, oral traditions)
HMWK: Argument Arrangement Essay

M Nov 3
Turn in Argument Essays, Discuss next steps, Movie pt. 1
HMWK: Work on everything!

W Nov 5
Movie pt. 2
HMWK: Work on everything!

F Nov 7
Movie pt. 3, Get back any outstanding work; you should once again look over all your materials (and my comments) . . . in order to prepare your first revision
HMWK: Revise your Intro and Argumentation Essay: Bring two fresh copies to class

M Nov 10
Peer Review, Finish movie?
HMWK: Intro + first 3 pages of the paper (using your Arg. Essay as an outline/guide): Bring two copies

W Nov 12
Peer Review, Reading aloud from handout: Machete Season
HMWK: Work on your next rough draft

F Nov 14: Continue handout, Discuss, Begin another handout: Double Flowering essay
HMWK: 1. Take a break from typing: read over your own work two times, make small changes, read over peer comments, read over some sources, look at your Doc. Project supplies. 2. Monday is the last day for turning in an event summary—you can give it to me or post in online. 3. Post one new link on the blog.

M Nov 17
Library/Typing day: Report to class for a quick exercise and to ask questions.
HMWK: Intro + first 5 pages: TWO copies

W Nov 19
Peer Review
HMWK: 1. Work on a complete Rough Draft (at least 8 pages total—Final must be 10)—will be due next Monday, 2. Read RES (Tell Them Who I Am: Preface, skim Intro, Day by Day)—leaders

F Nov 21
Discussion—leaders, Wrapping things up—questions?
HMWK: Complete Rough Draft (intro + body=minimum of 8 pages, attach your Works Cited list): TWO copies

M Nov 24
Peer Review
HMWK: Write your Social Justice Statement (specific guidelines in class): TWO copies

W Nov 26
Peer Review of SJ statements, random slots for presentations, Scattergories
HMWK: Work on your Final Draft, Get supplies together for your presentation

THURSDAY=Giving Thanks, FRIDAY=No School

M Dec 1
Non-tech Presentations + Tech Test Day
W Dec 3
Presentations
HMWK: Bring your journal on Friday (to turn in)
F Dec 5
Presentations
M Dec 8
Get back journal, Presentations
Final Papers with all relevant materials are due by NOON today (in my box)