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..............English
800 --- Summer 2000
Calendar
Weeks 1 - 7:
June 19th - July 31st
Explanation of homework
layout: All activities listed next to the date (not in bold)
is what we will do in class
on that day. All assignments which follow the abbreviated
letters signifying homework (HM) will be due the
following class.
WEEK
1: Class Introductions and the Writing
Process
June 19th - Mon: 1st half--Introduction to class:
syllabus, policies, textbooks
Writing sample (20 mins): What do you think about the
growing incidence of violence in schools?
What is influencing this and what do you feel we should
do?
2nd half--Introduction to and practice with the Writing
Process
HM: Get textbooks and a computer usage card from the
Bookstore.
In The Bedford Reader, read "Champion of the World"
pp. 52-56, "Fish Cheeks" pp. 57-61, and
"On Being the Target of Discrimination" pp. 67-75 and be
prepared for a possible quiz on the reading
for Wednesday.
June 21st - Weds: 1st half--Review of the Writing
Process
Student Interviews
2nd half--Introduction to the computer lab and Daedalus
(bottom floor bldg 2)
Possible quiz on the reading followed by a discussion
HM: In The Bedford Reader, read "On Compassion"
pp. 145-149, "Black Men and Public Spaces"
pp. 168-173, and "The Black and White Truth about
Basketball" pp. 209-217.
WEEK
2: Workshopping Paper #1
June 26th - Mon: 1st half--Possible quiz on the reading
followed by a discussion
2nd half-in the computer lab: preparing for Paper #1
HM: Complete Paper #1 (2-3 pages), due next
class:
(1) Bring 4 copies of your completed, typed, double-spaced
paper to class for Wednesday.
(2) Don't put extra spacing between paragraphs; double-space
throughout the paper and
indent 5 spaces at the beginning of each paragraph.
(3) Remember: titles of short works such as essays and poems
go in quotes and longer works
such as books and plays are either underlined or
italicized.
(4) Those without papers on Weds will be asked to leave.
(5) Reminder: Workshop days count as 2 absences
(6) If you do not turn a paper in on this due date, you
cannot turn in the revised version,
due a week later, for a grade. You can't pass if you miss
one of the required papers.
June 28th - Weds:
Paper #1 due (2-3
pages)
1st half-In Class:
Workshopping (bring 4 copies of your essay!)
2nd half-In the lab, revising Paper #1
HM: In The Writer's Option, do the exercise on
p.15 and write a unified and ordered paragraph on
Mount Rushmore. Also read "Playing with Sentences" pp.18-21
and do the exercise on p. 22.
In The Bedford Reader, read "In Defense of Talk
Shows" pp. 283-287, "TV Addiction" pp. 431-435,
and "Pornoviolence" pp. 653-662.
WEEK
3: Revising Paper #1
July 3rd - Mon: 1st half-Going over The Writer's Option
homework and practice creating titles
2nd half-In the lab: possible quiz on the reading followed
by a discussion
HM: In The Writer's Option, read "Relative
Clauses" pp. 31-38 and do the following exercises:
page 39 (A to E), page 41-revise 1-17 into ONE paragraph,
and page 45 (A to C).
In The Bedford Reader, read "I Want a Wife" pp.
275-278 and "Not All Men are Sly Foxes" pp. 279-282.
Revise Paper #1 due Tues, 7/5. Please include the
following:
(1) A title page using MLA format:
(a) Title of paper (be creative with this-draw your reader
in) centered about a third from the top of page
(b) Your name centered in the middle of the page
(c) Course, instructor's name and date centered near the
bottom of page.
(2) Peer evaluations stapled to back
(3) Must be typed, double-spaced, have 1" margins, have 12
sized font, and be 2-3 pages in length.
Please note: 10 pts are removed for each page the paper is
under the required minimum length and
5 pts for half a page under. Don't go solely by word count
but by actual length.
July 5th - Mon:
Revised Paper #1 Due
(2-3 pages)
1st half-Going over The Writer's Option
homework and practicing with paragraphs
2nd half-In the lab: possible quiz on the reading followed
by a discussion
HM: In The Writer's Option, read "Participles"
pp. 47-53 and do the following exercises:
page 54 (A to E), page 59-combine sentences 1-21, and page
61 (A to C).
In The Bedford Reader, read "Our Barbies, Ourselves"
pp. 288-293, "Predictable Crisis of Adulthood"
pp. 294-303, and "Girl" pp. 304-308
Getting Prepared:
Paper #2 will be due next Weds, July 12th (3-5
pages)
Topics
for Paper 1 - due June 28th - 2-3 pages
Select ONE of the
following paper topics:
(1) Maya Angelou in "Champion of the World"
(p.52) and Amy Tan in "Fish Cheeks" (p.57) both tell stories
of children who felt like outsiders in predominantly white
America. Compare and contrast the two writers' perceptions
of what sets them apart from the dominant culture. How does
the event each reports affect that sense of difference?
(2) Look at Maya Angelou's "Champion of the World" (p.52)
and Ralph Ellison's "On Being the Target of Discrimination"
(p.67) and compare and contrast what they reveal about the
lives and treatment of African Americans in the United
States and the importance of their struggles.
(3) Like Brent Staples in "Black Men and Public Spaces"
(p.168), Barbara Lazear Ascher in "On Compassion" (p.145)
considers how people regard and respond to "the Other," the
one who is viewed as different. In an essay, compare and
contrast what these authors say about how these "Others" are
treated in our society and what this reveals about
ourselves.
(4) Both Jeff Greenfield in "The Black and White Truth about
Basketball" (p.209) and Maya Angelou in "Champion of the
World" (p.52) explore racial themes through sports. In your
mind, what role does sports play in relations between
African-Americans and white Americans? According to the
authors as well as your own views, examine whether
African-American sports heroes contribute to improved race
relations, have no effect on them, or perhaps actually
undermine them.
Topics
for Paper 2 - due July 12th - 3-5 pages
Select ONE of the following paper
topics:
(1) Barbara Erhenreich in "In Defense of Talk
Shows" (p.283) holds that television talk shows exploit
their participants. Marie Winn in her essay "TV Addiction"
(p.431) quotes a "heavy viewer" who confesses that watching
TV makes him feel "sapped, will-less, enervated" (para.8). A
critic of television once said: "TV exploits its viewers,
rendering them comatose with bland entertainment and
continual commercials in order to quell dissent and
encourage consumption." In an essay, explain how Erhenreich
and Winn would respond to this. What do you think?
(2) Compare and contrast Marie Winn's essay "TV Addiction"
(p.431) and Tom Wolfe's essay "Pornoviolence" (p.653). What
are the authors' views on the impact on television? What do
you think of their arguments?
(3) Both Judy Brady's "I Want a Wife" (p.275) and Armin A.
Brott's "Not All Men Are Sly Foxes" (p.279) challenge
traditional ideas about how men and women are supposed to
divide the labor in marriage. Compare/contrast what these
authors reveal about views of marriage and traditional
gender roles and responsibilities.
(4) Both Emily Prager in "Our Babies, Ourselves" (p.288) and
Armin A. Brott's in "Not All Men Are Sly Foxes" (p.279)
examine cultural artifacts that influence children's ideas
of their own and the opposite sex. Describe and analyze the
arguments which they make. What do they reveal?
(5) You may have noticed the similarity between Gail
Sheehy's characterization in "Predictable Crisis of
Adulthood" (p.294) of the Catch-30 couple (paras.22-30) and
Judy Brady's analysis in "I Want a Wife" (p.275). Use the
information provided by Sheehy (about other stages as well,
if you like) to analyze the particular crisis of the "I" who
wants a wife in Brady's essay.
(6) Judy Brady in "I Want a Wife" (p.275) and Jamaica
Kincaid in "Girl" (p.304) both analyze women's traditional
roles, although they have different perspectives on these
roles. Compare these authors tones and views about these
roles.
WEEK
4: Workshopping Paper #2
July 10th - Mon: 1st half-Going over The Writer's
Option homework. Quiz on the reading.
2nd half-In the lab: Continued discussion of essays and
brainstorming for paper
HM: Complete Paper #2 (3-5 pages), due next
class:
(1) Bring 4 copies of your completed, typed, double-spaced
paper to class on Wednesday.
(2) Students without papers will be asked to leave and
workshop days count as 2 absences.
(3) If you don't turn a paper in on this date, you can't
turn in the revised version, due a week
for a grade, and you can't pass the class if you miss one of
the required papers.
July 12th - Weds:
Paper #2 due (3-5
pages)
1st half - In Class:
Workshopping (bring 4 copies of your
essay!)
2nd half - In the lab, revising Paper #2
HM: In The Writer's Option, read "Participles"
pp. 47-53 and do the following exercises: page 54 (A to E),
page 59-combine sentences 1-21, and page 61 (A to C).
In Bedford, read "The Meanings of a Word" pp.
407-412, "Being a Chink" pp. 413-419, and
"The Word Police" pp. 287-293.
WEEK
5: Revising Paper #2
July 17th - Mon: 1st half - Going over The Writer's
Option homework and eliminating wordiness
2nd half - In the lab: possible quiz on the reading
followed by a discussion
HM: Revised Paper #2 due 7/19. Please include the
following:
(1) A title page
(2) Peer evaluations stapled to back
(3) Must be typed, double-spaced, have 1" margins, have 12
sized font, and be 3-5 pgs in length
(points will be taken off for papers under length).
In The Writer's Option, read "Appositives" pp. 63-70
and do the following exercises: page 71 (A to E),
page 73-sentences 1-17, and page 77 (A to C).
In Bedford, read "But What do You Mean?" pp. 329-336,
"The Ways We Lie" pp. 337-345, and
"The Holocaust" pp. 434-438.
July 19th - Weds:
Revised Paper #2 Due
(3-5 pages)
1st half - Going over The Writer's
Option homework and The Hopi Way
2nd half - In the lab: possible quiz on the reading followed
by a discussion
HM: In The Writer's Option, read "Coordination
and Subordination" pp. 96-105 and
do the following exercises: page 106 (A to E), page 109 (A
to C), page 111-sentences 1-38.
In Bedford, "The Plot Against People" p. 317,
"Voicemail and Fire Ants" p. 323,
"Cyberspace for All" p. 640, and "Welcome to Cyberbia" p.
648.
Prepare for Make-up Quiz
next class (this score will replace lowest quiz score)
Bring a
self-addressed stamped envelope, so I can send you a full
printout and
breakdown of your course grade.
WEEK
6: Workshopping Paper #3
July 24th - Mon: 1st half- Going over The Writer's
Option homework
Make-up Quiz on the
reading followed by a discussion
2nd half-In the lab: Continued discussion of the essays and
brainstorming for Paper #3
HM: Complete Paper #3 (4-6 pages), due next
class:
(1) Bring 4 copies of your completed, typed, double-spaced
paper to class on Wednesday.
(2) Students without papers will be asked to leave and
workshop days count as 2 absences.
(3) If you don't turn a paper in on this date, you can't
turn in the revised version, due a week
for a grade, and you can't pass the class if you miss one of
the required papers.
In Bedford, read "Desperation Writing" pp.
258-261.
July 26th - Weds:
Paper #3 Due (4-6
pages)
1st half - In Class:
Workshopping (bring 4 copies of your
essay!)
2nd half- Timed Writing Workshop
HM: Revised Paper #3 due 7/31. Please include the
following:
(1) A title page
(2) Peer evaluations stapled to back
(3) Must be typed, double-spaced, have 1" margins, have 12
sized font, and be 4-6 pgs in length
(points will be taken off for papers under length).
If you haven't
already, bring a self-addressed stamped envelope
** Next
class meet in the computer lab-you can type the 2 hour final
on the computer or hand write it
**
WEEK
7: Final Exam
July 31st - Mon: Meet
in the Computer Lab at 6:30pm NOT the regular classroom
Revised Paper
#3 Due (4-6 pages)
Final Exam: Open Book,
Closed Note Exam
Topics
for Paper 3 - due July 26th - 4-6
pages
Select ONE of the following
paper topics:
(1) Christine Leong's "Being a Chink" (413) identifies a
moment when Leong was first struck by the negative power of
racist language. Write an essay that compares and contrasts
Leong's with Gloria Naylor's reaction in her essay "The
Meaning of a Word" (407) to a derogatory label. How did the
context shape their reactions?
(2) Michiko Kakutani in "The Word Police" (287) is concerned
that "many gung-ho advocates of politically correct language
seem to think the simple suppression of a word or concept
will magically make the problem disappear (para.24). In
"The Meanings of a Word" (407), Gloria Naylor advocates not
suppressing language that might be called "politically
incorrect." Compare these two authors ideas on the issue of
language suppression.
(3) Deborah Tannen in her essay "But What Do You Mean?"
(329) writes about communication and emphasizes the
differences in men's and women's style. Using Tannen,
examine Stephanie Ericsson's essay "The Ways We Lie" (337)
and explain if gender affects how and why we lie. Do you
think some kinds of lies are more likely to be told by women
or by men? (For instance, are women, in an effort to avoid
conflict, more likely to tell white lies?).
(4) Edward Tenner in "Voicemail and Fire Ants (323) and
Russell Baker in "The Plot Against People" (317) both talk
about the "revenge" taken by inanimate objects, but Tenner
ultimately puts the blame on human beings. Compare Tenner's
and Baker's essays. Which author is more persuasive? Which
is more informative or more entertaining? Why?
(5) Compare Michiko Kakutani's essay "The Word Police"
(287) to Esther Dyson's essay "Cyberspace for All" (640).
How does Kakutani's argument about the obstacles created by
"political correctness" in language inform Dyson's argument
about the obstacles to individualism created by censorship
(in the name of "political correctness") in cyberspace?
Write an essay explaining and reflecting on the connections
between these two authors' ideas.
(6) Esther Dyson in her essay "Cyberspace for All" (640)
and M. Kadi in her essay "Welcome to Cyberbia" (648) have
similar but also widely dissimilar visions of cyberspace.
Write and essay that compares their visions. Consider who
they think participates, what the responsibilities of the
participants are, what the consequences are of being free to
roam the Internet, what the limitations of the Internet are,
and who does or should control the Internet.
Essays
to know for the final exam-July 31st 6:30-8:30pm
"The Meanings of a Word" pp. 407-412
"Being a Chink" pp. 413-419
"The Word Police" pp. 287-293
"But What do You Mean?" pp. 329-336
"The Ways We Lie" pp. 337-345
"The Holocaust" pp. 434-438
"The Plot Against People" pp. 317-322
"Voicemail and Fire Ants" pp. 323-328
"Cyberspace for All" pp. 640-647
"Welcome to Cyberbia" pp. 648-653
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