English 101 L1 : English Composition I
The Art of Conversation: Writing Arguments
M/W/F 9:10-10:05 Armitage Hall 106
Instructor: Nicholas Silcox Office: ATG 464
Email: nrs108@camden.rutgers.edu Office Hours: T, Th 1:30 - 3:00
Course Description: This course provides an introduction to rhetorical composition at the university level and aims to equip you with tools for posing questions and framing thought-out responses. Looking at a variety of genres and media, we will explore how authors analyze and argue through the ways they approach genre and media forms as tools to address their intended or imagined audiences. We will examine their methods and models before analyzing and arguing ourselves. We will be asked to produce writing across genres, forms, and media in order to make creative, analytical arguments and to imagine ourselves as producers and makers or writing and arguments. The assignments in this course will ask that you be open and thoughtful, willing to challenge existing assumptions about the world and consider other points of view with empathy and understanding. In this course, we will use the readings and writing assignments to explore how the elements of conversation, including listening, affirmation, and critique are powerful rhetorical models and a necessary part of writing, learning, and built into the fabric of texts. The hope is that writing can begin to appear as a conversation you would have with anyone. You will be challenged to grow during this class as a writer, listener, and student, to find your voice in academic discourse, and to admit yourself open to change and to new ideas. 101 is the first of a two-semester sequence required as a general education credit for all incoming first-years.
At the conclusion of this class students will be able to:
- Analyze texts and arguments.
- Identify and understand the role of audience in composition.
- Develop familiarity with multiple tools, techniques, and media forms in
composition and writing.
- Articulate positions using a variety of media and rhetorical terms.
- Develop critical thinking skills.
- Engage in thoughtful, considerate conversation with peers and texts.
- Develop and sharpen writing skills.
- Understand and practice all elements of the writing process.
Texts:
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Everyone’s an Author by Andrea Lunsford, Michael Brody, Lisa Ede, Beverly J. Moss, Carole Clark Papper, Keith Walters. Second Edition!
Additional readings available on Sakai in the resources folder
Assignments: The bulk of your grade will come from 5 large assignments. Several smaller assignments will be administered as part of an overall participation grade. The prompts for each assignment will be passed out in class with details and expectations. You can find the dates that assignments will be given out and the due dates below and in the schedule.
Participation & Forum Posts
Analysis of an Artifact—Analyze This!
Optional First Draft: 900-1200 words, double-spaced due Oct. 1
Final Draft: 1200-1500 words, double-spaced due Oct. 7
This I (Now) Believe:
Optional First Draft: 600 words, double-spaced due Oct. 15
Final Draft: 2:45-3:00 min. mp3 file due Oct. 21
My Take: An Open Letter to…
Optional First Draft: 900-1200 words, double-spaced due Nov. 2
Final Draft: 900-1200 words, double-spaced due Nov. 11
To Think That, One Would…
Optional First Draft: 500-750 words, double-spaced due Nov. 19
Final Draft: 750 words, double-spaced due Nov. 25
Take Two: From Letter to Article in the Scarlet Review
First Draft: 1500 - 2400 words, double-spaced due Dec. 7
Final Draft: 2000-2400 words, double-spaced due Dec. 16
Unit One: Analysis
W Sept. 5 Introduction to the course — Guidelines, Expectations, and the Syllabus
F Sept. 7. The Underground Railroad, Ajarray
Everyone’s an Author. Introduction - Ch. 2 (p. xxv-24)
Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Sept. 10 The Underground Railroad, Georgia — Ridgeway
Everyone's an Author Ch. 3 (p. 25-38)
W Sept. 12 The Underground Railroad, Georgia — Ridgeway
F Sept. 14 The Underground Railroad, South Carolina
Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Sept. 17 The Underground Railroad, Stevens — Ethel
W Sept. 19 The Underground Railroad, Tennessee — Cesar
F Sept. 21 “Analyze This!” assignment overview
Examples of Analytical Writing
The Underground Railroad, Tennessee — Cesar
Everyone's an Author Ch 13 (p.201-231)
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Sept. 24 The Underground Railroad, Indiana — Mabel
W Sept. 26 The Underground Railroad, The North
Colson Whitehead Lecture
F Sept. 28 “Analyze This!” example papers
Blog Post due by 5 PM.
M Oct. 1 “Analyze This!” Optional Draft due
Peer Review & Draft Workshop
W Oct. 3 “Analyze This!” example papers
Draft Workshop
Unit Three:
F Oct. 5 “This I (Now) Believe” Assignment Overview
Eula Biss, On Immunity
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
Sun Oct. 7 “Analyze This!” Final Draft Due by 8 PM
M Oct. 8 “Five Women” - This American Life
Everyone’s an Author Ch. 12 (p. 159-185)
W Oct. 10 “Fuck Your Feelings” - Love + Radio
“How Friendship and Quiet Conversations Transformed a White Nationalist” — On Being
F Oct. 12 “this i believe” - NPR
Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Oct. 15 “This I (Now) Believe” Optional (written) Draft due
Peer Review & Workshop
W Oct. 17 MP3/Podcast workshop
F Oct. 19 “My Take: An Open Letter to…" Assignment Overview
James Baldwin, “Letter to My Nephew”
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
Sun Oct. 21 “This I (Now) Believe” Final Draft (audio file) Due by 8 PM
Unit Four:
M Oct. 22 Library Orientation
W Oct. 24 Read through some open letters on McSweeney’s,
Baldwin, “Letter to My Nephew”
Everyone’s an Author Ch. 11 (p. 116-145)
Th Oct 23. Blog Post Due by 5 PM
F Oct. 26 Topic Workshop
M Oct. 29 Reimagining Work by David Graeber
The Paradox of Choice by Renata Salecl
First as Tragedy, Then as Farce Slavoj Zizek
Everyone’s An Author Ch. 17 (379–419)
W Oct. 31 Our age of horror
F Nov. 2 “My Take: An Open Letter to….” Optional Draft due
Peer Review & Draft Workshop
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Nov. 5 Example My Take!s
W Nov. 7 Buzzfeed, “Here Are 28 Things Millennials Are Killing In Cold Blood”
Washington Post, “I am sorry for killing everything: A millennial’s confession”
Buzzfeed News, "Here’s How Millennials’ Lives Were Changed By Recession 10 Years Ago”
F Nov. 9 Scarlet Letter, Example Student Essays
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
Sun Nov. 11 Final Draft due by 8 PM
Unit Five:
M Nov. 12 "To Think That, One Would…" Assignment Overview.
Leslie Jamison, “Empathy Exams”
W Nov. 14 Depression Quest
F Nov. 16 NY Times - “How G.O.P. Leaders Came to View Climate Change as Fake Science”
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Nov. 19 “To Think That, One Would….” Optional Draft due
Peer Review & Workshop
W Nov. 21 Example “To Think That, One Would….”
F Nov. 23 No Class! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Sun Nov. 25 “To Think That, One Would….” Final Draft due by 8 PM
Unit Six:
M Nov. 26 “Take Two” Assignment Overview.
Research and Bibliography construction.
Everyone’s an Author Ch. 19 (p. 445-455), Ch 27 (p. 535 - 574)
W Nov. 28 Ta-Nehisi Coates, “The Case for Reparations”
F Nov. 30 PDF on Sakai
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Dec. 3 Research Writing examples
PDF on Sakai
W Dec. 5 Research Writing examples
PDF on Sakai
F Dec. 7 “Take Two” First Draft due
Bring two copies to class for Peer Review and Instructor feedback
Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Dec. 10 Workshop Continued
In Class Work Time
W Dec. 12 Workshop Continued
Draft feedback returned
In Class Work Time
Sun Dec. 16 “Take Two” Final Draft due by 8 PM
Have a nice break!