English 101 : English Composition I
The Practice of Writing:
Listening, Empathy and the Practice of
Vulnerability
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 mediums, we will explore how authors analyze and argue, examining their methods and models before analyzing and arguing ourselves. 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 listening, empathy, vulnerability, authentic expression, is a powerful rhetorical tool 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.
- 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:
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Here by Richard McGuire
Hunger by Roxanne Gay
Strangers In Their Own Land by Arlie Russell Hochschild
Highly Recommended:
Everyone’s an Author by Andrea Lunsford, Michael Brody, Lisa Ede, Beverly J. Moss, Carole Clark Papper, Keith Walters. Second Edition!
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. 2
Final Draft: 1200-1500 words, double-spaced due Oct. 8
This I (Now) Believe:
Optional First Draft: 600 words, double-spaced due Oct. 16
Final Draft: 2:45-3:00 min. mp3 file due Oct. 22
My Take: An Open Letter to…
Optional First Draft: 900-1200 words, double-spaced due Nov. 3
Final Draft: 900-1200 words, double-spaced due Nov. 12
To Think That, One Would…
Optional First Draft: 500-750 words, double-spaced due Nov. 20
Final Draft: 750 words, double-spaced due Nov. 26
Take Two: From Letter to Article in the Scarlet Review
First Draft: 1500 - 2400 words, double-spaced due Dec. 8
Final Draft: 2000-2400 words, double-spaced due Dec. 17
Assessments:
Participation (Attendance, Preparedness, Blog Posts) 20%
Analysis of an Artifact—"Analyze This!" 10%
This I (Now) Believe 15%
My Take: An Open Letter To… 15%
To Think That, One Would… 15%
Take Two: From Open Letter to Article 25%
*Key:
Recommended reading is green.
Mandatory reading is in blue.
Assignments due is in red.
Unit One:
W Sept. 6 Introduction to the course — Guidelines, Expectations, and the Syllabus;
F Sept. 8 Hidden Figures Prologue-3, Everyone’s an Author. Introduction - Ch. 2 (p. xxv-24); Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Sept. 11 Hidden Figures Ch 4-7, Everyone's an Author. Ch. 3 (p. 25-38)
W Sept. 13 Hidden Figures 8-11
F Sept. 15 Hidden Figures 12-15; Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Sept. 18 Hidden Figures 16-20
W Sept. 20 Hidden Figures 21-Epilogue
Unit Two:
F Sept. 22 “Analyze This!” assignment overview; Here, Examples of Analytical Writ- ing; Everyone's an Author Ch 13 (p.201-231); Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Sept. 25 Here
W Sept. 27 Here
F Sept. 29 Here; Blog Post due by 5 PM.
M Oct. 2 “Analyze This!” Optional Draft due, Peer Review & Draft Workshop
W Oct. 4 “Analyze This!” example papers, Workshop
Unit Three:
F Oct. 6 "This I (Now) Believe" Assignment Overview; Hunger, Part I; “Analyze This!" Final Draft Due Sunday 8 PM, Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Oct. 9 Hunger, Part II (Ch. 10-13), Everyone’s an Author Ch. 12 (p. 159-185)
W Oct. 11 Hunger, Part II (finish)
F Oct. 13 Hunger, Part III; Blog Post due by 5 PM
M Oct. 16 Hunger, Part III; “This I (Now) Believe” Optional (written) Draft due, Peer Review & Workshop
W Oct. 18 MP3/Podcast workshop
F Oct. 20 Hunger, Part IV; “This I (Now) Believe” Final Draft (audio file) Due Sun- day 8 PM, Blog Post Due by 5 PM
Unit Four:
M Oct. 23 “My Take: An Open Letter to…" Assignment Overview; Hunger, Part V
W Oct. 25 Library Orientation; Hunger, Part VI, Everyone’s an Author Ch. 11 (p. 116-145)
F Oct. 27 Discussion of Various Open Letters; Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Oct. 30 Topic Workshop; Everyone’s An Author Ch. 17 (379–419)
W Nov. 1 Strangers In Their Own Land, Preface & Part 1 Ch. 1
F Nov. 3 “My Take: An Open Letter to….” Optional Draft due, Peer Review & Draft Workshop; Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Nov. 6 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 1 Ch. 2
W Nov. 8 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 1 Ch. 3
F Nov. 10 “My Take: An Open Letter to….” Final Draft due Sunday 8 PM, Blog Post Due by 5 PM
Unit Five:
M Nov. 13 "To Think That, One Would…" Assignment Overview; Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 1 Ch. 4
W Nov. 15 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 1 Ch. 5
F Nov. 17 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 3 Ch. 9; Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Nov. 20 “To Think That, One Would….” Optional Draft due; Peer Review & Work shop
W Nov. 22 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 3 Ch. 10
F Nov. 24 No Class! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. “To Think That, One Would….” Final Draft due Sunday 8 PM, Blog Post Due by 5 PM.
Unit Six:
M Nov. 27 “Take Two” Assignment Overview; Research and Bibliography construc- tion; Everyone’s an Author Ch. 19 (p. 445-455), Ch 27 (p. 535 - 574)
W Nov. 29 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 3 Ch. 11
F Dec. 1 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 3 Ch. 12-13
M Dec. 4 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 4 Ch. 14-15, Research Writing exam- ples
W Dec. 6 Strangers In Their Own Land, Part 4 Ch. 16, Research Writing examples F Dec. 8 “Take Two” First Draft due, Bring two copies to class for Peer Review and Instructor feedback; Blog Post Due by 5 PM
M Dec. 11 Workshop Continued, In Class Work Time
W Dec. 13 Draft feedback returned; Workshop Continued, In Class Work Time; “Take Two” Final Draft due Sunday 8 PM
Have a nice break!